A Summer to Remember
by heyitsme517
Summary: Ally is against going with her father to stay with his best friend, Mike Moon, and his family, for the summer. She hasn't visited in six years, and a lot of things have changed, even though she picks up right where she left off with most of the family members. Will her childhood best friend, Austin, hate her after not seeing her so long, or will they be friends? Or more?
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N - okay, so I totally promised myself that I wasn't going to start a second story until I am completely done with "Miami Arts". However, an idea popped into my head today. Originally, I meant to just write it down, but ideas started flowing, and soon enough the first chapter was done. So, I'm back to two stories, unless you guys don't like this one!)**

"Dad, why are you doing this to me?" I asked my father, slumping further into the passenger seat of his SUV. We were currently enduring a thirteen hour car ride from our home in Miami, Florida to Raleigh, North Carolina.

"Because, Ally," my father said excitedly, obviously not sensing that I wasn't enjoying this. "I need to visit my best friend. Mike was my best-man in my wedding, for crying out loud. We've been together through it all, and I haven't seen him in nearly a year."

"Well, why am I coming then?" I snapped, looking out the window. Despite the animosity that I am feeling about this trip, the scenery on the way up _is_ beautiful. "I know _you_ want to see Mike, but why am _I_ here?"

"Because you haven't seen them in six years, Ally," my dad said, looking over at me. "Mike and Mimi are great, and they would love to see you again. Plus, they have kids, remember?" I rolled my eyes, knowing that there was no way out of this now. My father and I were going to be spending two months, almost my _entire_ summer, at his friend's house.

"I'm not a kid, though," I grumbled, crossing my arms in a very child-like manner. "I'm sixteen years old."

"Then please act like it," my dad said, running his hand over where his hair used to be. "And you know I didn't mean _kids_. Molly is eighteen, and Austin is sixteen, just like you. The only _child_ they actually have is Gracie, who you haven't even met before. She's eight, and couldn't come with them when they last visited us in Florida. She stayed with a nanny."

I briefly remember that, although I was only ten years old the last time that I saw any member of the Moon family. After my mother died, I tried to release any reminders I had of her, including the Moons, since they were so close to my mom. That's why I am being so bratty about this whole trip - I am embarrassed that I have been pushing them away. I actually remember loving the Moons - Mike and Mimi were so nice. Molly was like an older sister to me, since I never had any siblings of my own. And Austin and I were practically inseperable as children, always getting into mischief.

"Don't you remember how close you were to Austin?" my father asked, just as I was thinking about it. "You two were stuck like glue, always getting yourselves in trouble. Your mother and Mimi swore that you two would get married one day."

I blushed and nodded my head, remembering Austin very well. "Yeah, I remember," I said quietly, which made a broad grin cross my father's face. I recall Austin and I always hanging out, sitting together at every dinner our families shared, and making up games to play.

In the Raleigh winter, we would use sleds to go through the hilly land that the Moons owned. We built snowmen and even tried packing my suitcase full of snow once, to take back to Miami - let's just say that I needed new clothes and a new suitcase after that stunt. When the Moons visited us in Miami summers, Austin and I would sit on the boardwalk at the beach, sipping Slurpees and pointing out eccentric people that pass us.

Austin was always the same height as me, if not shorter. I'm sure he is a bit taller than me now, however, because I am only 5'2". He had really dirty blonde hair, and was a bit chubby. "I remember," I said again, smiling to myself. "I guess I am pretty excited to see everyone again, even if it is my _whole_ summer. Maybe this could be fun."

"I'm glad to hear it," my dad said, reaching over and giving me a high-five. "Not like you had the oppurtunity to back out at this point, anyway. We're already halfway there." I grinned and rolled my eyes, before retrieving my leather songbook from my bag.

I write, sing, and play music, and not to toot my own horn, but, I am pretty good. I have terrible stage fright, however, because I am afraid of failing. As a perfectionist, being told that I am not good enough is not on my list of things I would like to achieve in life. If I don't perform, I can't fail.

I tapped my pen against my chin in thought, wishing that I was seated at a piano right now. Finally, an idea popped into my head, and I began writing of my crush back home, Robby. I guess you could say that we are friends, but we aren't super close - which is good, because I get nervous and stutter random things when I am around him. I don't have incredibly strong feelings for the guy, he is just a crush. But due to my lack of lovelife, I write about him very often in this book of mine. About an hour and a half later, I had a new song written.

_I used to think maybe you loved me _  
_Now baby I'm sure _  
_And I just can't wait 'till the day _  
_When you knock on the door _  
_Now every time I go for the mailbox _  
_Gotta hold myself down _  
_'Cause I just can't wait 'till you write me your comin' around_

_I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh _  
_I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh _  
_I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh _  
_And don't it feel good? _  
_Hey, all right now _  
_And don't it feel good? _  
_Hey, yeah_

_I used to think maybe you loved me _  
_Now I know that it's true _  
_And I don't wanna spend my whole life _  
_Just a waitin' for you _  
_And I don't want you back for the weekend _  
_Not back for a day I said baby _  
_I just want you back _  
_And I want you to stay, oh yeah_

_I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh _  
_I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh _  
_I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh _  
_And don't it feel good? _  
_Hey, all right now _  
_And don't it feel good? _  
_Hey, yeah_

_Walkin' on sunshine _  
_Walkin' on sunshine_

_I feel alive I feel the love I feel the love _  
_That's really real _  
_I feel alive I feel the love I feel the love _  
_That's really real_

_I'm on sunshine baby oh, oh yeah _  
_I'm on sunshine baby oh_

_I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh _  
_I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh _  
_I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh _  
_And don't it feel good? _  
_Hey, all right now _  
_And don't it feel good? _  
_Hey, yeah **(1)**_

I hummed the song quietly, nodding my head to the music. I don't tend to write upbeat songs, but this one was catchy. "That's a nice song," my father said, smiling over at me. "It's got a summer feeling. I know that the Moons have a lot of instruments, so you can ask to borrow them while you're there."

"Really?" I asked, surprised. I have always had a bit of an interest in music, as my dad owns a music store. I wrote my first song in Kindergarten, and knew from the on, that I wanted to be a songwriter. I don't remember any of the Moons being musical, though. "Which one of them plays?"

"Austin," my father said after a moment of thought. "I heard him singing and playing the guitar last time I visited. He's pretty good, too." I smiled, knowing that Austin and I have at least something in common. I really hope that befriending him again won't be that hard, if he even wants to be my friend.

We still had about four hours left in the drive, so I put my headphones into my ears and set my iPod on shuffle. I looked out at the scenery surrounding us, and let myself drift to sleep.

* * *

"Ally, wake up," my dad said excitedly, shaking my shoulder gently. "We're here." I forced my eyelids open, blinking and taking in the area around me. We were, in fact, at the Moon's house, and it was just as I remembered it. The many acres of land, covered in grass, and spotted with large trees. The large, two-story house, which was now painted tan, rather than white. The large front porch, with the swinging seat. It was all still there.

And behind the house, I know, is a pool, and playset - if the Moons kept that. They may not have, but they probably did, since Gracie was born. "It's just like I remember," I say, smiling slightly. It was nice seeing something so familiar, even if I haven't been here in many years.

"Come on, let's go inside," my father said. "We can come get the bags later." I nodded my head and followed him through the grass and up the steps to the porch. He tested the door handle - which was unlocked - since we were being expected, and because my father is practically family here.

"Lester," a voice shouted, with loud steps running towards the front door, where we just entered. "Come here, buddy." Standing in front of us was Mike Moon, a tall man, and my father's best friend. They exchanged a long hug, talking excitedly, before Mike turned to me. "And Ally! Les told me you were coming, but I didn't believe him."

I broke into a broad grin, already feeling comofortable around him again. That was something about Mike - he was like a people magnet. You are just drawn to like him. "Hi, Mike," I said, stepping forward to give him a hug. "Of course I came."

Mike ruffled my hair a bit, something he did when I was younger. "And you are so pretty now," he said, examining me. "The pictures that Lester sends don't nearly do you justice. You look a lot like your mom, you know."

I felt my smile drop for a second, but the corners of my mouth quickly turned upward again. It has been six years since my mother died, and although I never will get over it completely, I have learned to deal with it the best I can. "Thanks," I said, grinning up at him.

"Hey, guys," a perky voice said. I turned to see Mrs. Moon pulling an apron off over her head, grinning widely at us. She pulled my father into a quick hug, and turned to me. "Oh, Ally," she said, hugging me tightly. "We have missed you so much. When Lester said you were coming, I was so excited that I spent the whole day baking."

"It's true, she did," another female voice quipped up. I broke away from my hug with Mimi to see Molly standing a few feet away. "Hey, Ally," she said, waving me over into a hug. Molly has light brown hair, and is average height. She is really pretty, but she always has been. "You haven't met her yet, but this is Gracie."

I looked down to see a short, blonde girl smiling up at me. "Hi," she said shyly, giggling a bit. I remember my dad saying that she was eight now. I can't believe that I have been avoiding the Moons so long, I completely missed out on a member of their family.

"Hi, Gracie," I said, leaning down and giving her a hug. I straightened back up, and Mike and Mimi began asking my father about our drive up here. "Where's Austin?" I asked at a quiet moment, glancing around for my old friend.

"Over here," a voice said. I turned my head towards the stair case, expecting to see a short, chubby boy standing there. Instead, I saw a very attractive guy walking towards me. He is almost a whole foot taller than me, with a lean, but muscular build. His slightly floppy hair was extremely blonde, and his brown eyes were deep and innocent.

"Austin?" I asked, still not believing it. I really hope that my mouth isn't hanging open right now.

"Hey, Ally-Gator," he said, using my childhood nickname. He sent me a dazzling smile, and I had no choice but to smile back. "Long time, no see."

"Well, you have two months to catch up," Mrs. Moon said, clapping her hands together. "Molly, could you come help me with dinner? Austin, go help Ally with their bags." Austin nodded and ushered me out the door. We walked towards my father's car in an awkward silence.

"Back seat," I said, more so to break the quiet than anything else. He nodded and opened the car door, carefully pulling out the four large bags that my father and I packed, two for each of us.

He set them on the ground next to the car, shutting the door, and turning towards me. "Glad to see that you're still simple Ally, not over packing," he said, pointing at my bags. "Most girls would pack at least five bags for a two-month stay."

"I'm not most girls," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"I know, I remember," he said, chuckling. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around me in a hug. I visibly stiffened, and he pulled away awkwardly. "Sorry."

"Don't be," I said, sighing and reaching for a bag. I slung it over my shoulder, and reached for a second, but Austin stopped me, taking three bags and leaving me with just the one. "It's just been a while."

"Yeah, you never really come around, anymore, do you?" Austin asked, glancing over at me as we began walking back towards his house. His voice sounded a bit sad.

"Hey, I come around enough," I said in self-defense.

Austin shot me a look with his eyebrows raised. "Ally, it's been six years," he said flatly. Then he shot me a smile, and I know he was thinking about a memory we shared sometime in our childhood. "We all missed you, you know. _I've_ missed you."

"I've missed you too," I said, smiling shyly. "We were stuck like glue when we were younger."

"We were inseperable," Austin agreed, opening the front door as we once again reached his house. I followed him up the stairs, and he stopped at a guest room. "This is your dad's room," he said, setting my father's bags on the floor. He closed the door and walked down the hallway a bit more. "And _this_ is your room."

Behind the door was a large room, the walls painted bright yellow and red. The comforter was black with red polka dots, and there was a large, black dresser against one wall. The room also contained a closet, and a very large window overlooking some of their property. "It's so cool," I exclaimed, dropping my bag and rushing over to the window.

Austin set my other bag down and laughed. "I'm glad you like it," he said. I noticed an electric keyboard near the corner of the room. "Dad told me that you were into music, so I was going to lend you one of my keyboards while you're here. If you want to use any other instruments, just let me know."

"I heard you were into music too," I said, glancing up at him quizzically. "When did that happen?"

Austin shrugged his shoulders. "I got really into the guitar when I was eleven," he said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. I could tell that he truly loved music. "And eventually, it developed from a hobby into a passion."

"Well, I hope to hear you play something soon," I said, smiling over at him.

"Absolutely," he said, grinning. "On one condition. I have to hear you play something, too." Not wanting to get into a discussion about my stage fright right now, I merely nodded my head. "Cool. Dinner is probably ready, so let's go." He grabbed my hand gently and pulled me downstairs to the kitchen.

I sighed, already knowing that I was going to enjoy this summer much more than originally planned. Although we have all changed a bit, I'm picking up with everyone, right where I left off.

**(A/N - well, that's the first chapter! Let me know what you guys think in a review, otherwise I might not continue it! Thanks for reading!)  
1) I don't own Walking on Sunshine - I'm not sure who originally wrote the song, but the only version I know is the cover by Aly and AJ.**


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N - well, I was digging the reviews that you guys left, so I guess I'll continue this. ;D BUT I have something to say before you read the chapter! Have any of you read Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler? It's a really good book, and I finished it in like, three hours, because I couldn't put it down! If you haven't heard of it, you should check it out, and if you have any book suggestions for me, let me know! Anyways, on with the chapter!**)

"Thank you so much for dinner, Mrs. Moon," I gushed, helping her clean the dishes afterwards. "I'm not sure what you did to those potatoes, but I think I might need to get my hands on that recipe."

"Oh goodness, Ally," she said, laughing. "You don't have to call me Mrs. Moon. Just call me Mimi, you've known me long enough." I smiled and tested the name. "We'll work on it. And it's just something I tried a while back. If you want my recipes for anything you eat while you're here, just write it down, and I'll give you a copy."

"Wow, that would be awesome," I exclaimed, drying a dish and setting it in the cupboard. "Thank you. I have been trying to learn new things to cook, but all the things on the internet and television are so extravagant, and for large parties. I'm just looking for a few home cooked meals."

"Well, I have plenty of those," she said, handing me the last dish. "And thank you for helping me clean up. None of the kids ever really do that." I ran my towel along the last dish, as I looked out the window. The last bit of orange sun was just dipping below the horizon, illuminating everything for a few moments before it turned dark. "It's pretty beautiful, huh?" Mimi asked, catching my gaze.

"Yeah, it is," I said, putting the last plate away. "I'm a big fan of beach sunsets, but it looks pretty great with mountains, too." The sky outside quickly darkened, and she smiled at me.

"So, do you think you're going to have a good time here?" Mimi asked, looking over at me. Her face looked a bit sad, and I suddenly felt a pang of guilt. "You're sixteen, I know you would rather be off with your friends at home, but this means so much to us to see you again, Ally."

I sighed. "I have always loved it here," I said, shaking my head and shooting her a smile. "And that isn't changing now. I feel really bad that I have been pushing you all away for the past few years. I just didn't know how to cope with-" I trailed off, feeling my voice catch in my throat.

"Your mother," she said, wrapping me into a hug. "I know, honey. We probably remind you a lot of your mom, and I understand that you don't want to be reminded of her. But, it has been six years, and you just need to remember all the good times you had with her."

"Thanks," I said, grinning up at her. "I really never did mean to push you guys away."

"We understand," she said, giving my shoulder a squeeze. "None of us took it personally, we just missed having you around. Especially Austin." She winked at me and I felt a slight blush creep to my cheeks. "He always loved the pictures Lester sent of you, saying how much you have grown up, and how much he wanted to see his childhood best friend again."

"Well, he has grown up quite a bit too," I mumbled, smiling up at her. "Let's just say I was expecting a short, chubby guy when I got here." She shot me a knowing look, letting out a laugh. "But it seems like we picked our friendship up right where we left off. I just hope that not too much changed over six years."

Mimi shrugged her shoulders, and thanked me again for helping her with the dishes. I ran up the stairs to my guest room, and grabbed the keyboard that Austin lent me. I played the song that I wrote earlier, loving the sound of it. After running through it a few times, I got up and began unpacking my bags, placing things in the dresser and closet. I _am_ spending two months here, after all, I might as well get cozy.

I heard a light knock at my door, and walked over to open it. "Hey," Austin said, smiling. He was leaning against the doorframe, in a pair of swim trunks. "Can I come in?" I nodded and ushered him through the door.

"It's your house," I reminded him, walking back over to the dresser to organize it a bit.

"Well, it's actually my parents' house," he teased. "What are you up to?" I motioned towards the bags, telling him I was unpacking. "Well I came in here to ask you if you wanted to go for a night swim, but I heard you singing, and stopped outside to listen for a while."

"You heard me singing?" I asked nervously, fiddling with my thumbs. He nodded, and I groaned, flopping backwards onto my bed.

"What's wrong, Ally?" Austin asked, looking at me quizzically. "Why don't you want me to hear you sing? You're really good."

"It's not you specifically, so don't flatter yourself," I teased, getting a laugh from him. "But I just have terrible stage fright, and I don't like performing in front of people."

"You didn't have stage fright when we were younger," Austin said, sitting on the bed next to me. "I remember you would put on performances for everyone when we were younger."

"You sang with me," I pointed out, laughing at the memories. We used to set up a stage and everything, pretending to sell tickets to our family members.

"Yeah, but that was before I was really into music," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "You always loved it, though. So how did you get your stage fright?"

I considered telling him, but thought it better if I didn't, yet. "It's not really something I like to talk about," I said, looking down at the ground. "But I promise I'll tell you at some point." He held out his pinky, and we linked them together, laughing.

"It's like we're kids again," Austin said, chuckling. Then his eyes lit up. "Wait, do you remember our old handshake?"

I shot him a look, pretending to be offended. "How could I not?" I asked, giggling. We both stood up and did the intricate handshake we made when we were seven.

"You still got it, Dawson," Austin said, running his hands through his hair. "So, back to my reason for stopping by in the first place - do you want to come nightswimming with Molly and I?"

I thought about it, but shook my head, suddenly feeling really tired. "Actually," I said, trying to hold back a yawn. "I'm still pretty tired from the drive. We woke up pretty early this morning. Raincheck?"

"I'm holding you to that," Austin said, chuckling. "But I understand, get some rest. See you tomorrow." He grinned and waved, walking out the door. I shut it behind him and finished unpacking before changing into a pair of pajamas and climbing into my bed.

I fell asleep shortly after, realizing how much I regret not coming here the past few years. Mike and Mimi are so great, and treat me like family. Although I haven't talked to Molly much yet, she seems just as great as ever. Gracie, whose life I have missed out on up until now, is really adorable, and I wish I could have watched her grow up through her first years.

And then, there's Austin. It seems like even after dropping our friendship for six years, we picked up exactly where we left off. We have both held onto a lot of memories from our younger years, and every worry that I had about him not wanting to become my friend again has floated away. A lot has changed, however. First, the fact that he is now extremely attractive. His passion for music has developed a lot more as well. I wonder what else has changed since we were younger, and I can't help feeling excited about the next few months.

* * *

I woke up and stretched, checking the clock next to me. It was seven in the morning, and I doubt anybody is up yet. I walked over to the window, and glanced out across the property - the Moons have so much land, that it's almost ridiculous. But it's also beautiful. I saw a flash of blonde, and noticed that Austin was out on a beautiful brown horse, riding around the open land. He looked up and noticed me watching him, before riding over so he was really close to the house. I opened my window so he could say something.

"Good morning," he said, trying to keep his voice quiet so he wouldn't wake up anybody else. "Want to come riding with me?" I started to decide against it, until he smirked up at me. "Unless you've forgotten how."

Even though he was just teasing, I felt the need to prove myself. "Be right down," I called back. I threw on a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt, which was a very un-Ally outfit, but I was going to be riding a horse, after all.

I thought back, trying to remember all the animals the Moons have. I know they had two horses, Chestnut and Scarlett. They have a few dogs named Lassie, Cocoa, and Shelley, also. After pulling my hair into a ponytail, I quietly ran down the stairs and out the back door. I glanced around and noticed that there was still a playset a few years away from the pool. And off even further was the barn. I took off in a run towards the barn, where Austin was waiting for me grinning.

"Wow, I didn't know you would be so excited to see me," Austin joked. I rolled my eyes. "You're still pretty fast. I remember you always outrunning everyone when we were kids."

"Track and cross country," I said, shrugging my shoulders. He led me over to where the horses were. "Chestnut," I said, pointing at a white horse with black spots. Then I pointed at the brown horse that Austin was riding earlier. "And Scarlett."

"I'm surprised you remembered that," Austin said, grinning. "Most people assume that Chestnut is the brown horse, but-"

"It's funny because it's ironic," I said with him, making both of us laugh. "So, which one am I riding?"

He smirked and raised an eyebrow at me. "You really think you remember that well?" he asked. "It's been a while since you've ridden. How about you just join me on the back of Scarlett for today, and we'll work you back up to riding your own horse."

I rolled my eyes, but agreed anyway, since I haven't ridden in so long. He walked into Scarlett's stall and grabbed the reigns, leading her out of the stable and into the pasture.

"Do you want me to push you up, or pull you up?" Austin asked. I shrugged my shoulders and he hoisted himself up onto the horse before extending his hands out to me. I grabbed them, and he pulled me up onto Scarlett, in front of him. "Okay, now take the reigns in your hands," he instructed.

I tried not to think about how close he was behind me, or how warm his breath was on my neck. I picked up the reigns, and soon enough, Scarlett was off in a walk. Soon, she began trotting, and once I was comfortable, I communicated for her to start running. I felt Austin's arms wrap around my waist so that he wouldn't fall off the back of the horse. "How am I doing?" I asked, laughing as part of my ponytail smacked him in the face.

"You're a natural," Austin said back, grinning. "I don't know how you remembered everything so well, because I'm _sure_ you haven't been riding in Miami. You could have easily ridden your own horse, so I'm sorry for not having enough faith in you."

"It's fine," I said, allowing Scarlett to ease back into a slower pace. "To be honest, I didn't think I would remember either. Besides, this is fun." Now that Scarlett was walking slower, I turned my head to face him, not needing as much focus.

"It sure is," he said, winking. We rode around for a few more minutes, Austin never removing his arms from my waist. "I bet breakfast is almost ready, so let's take Scarlett back."

I nodded and led the horse over to our stable. Austin hopped to the ground first, motioning for me to follow. I went to move my leg, but ended up falling. "Shit," I said, preparing to hit the ground.

Instead, I landed in Austin's arms. "I got you," he said, setting me down on my feet. I tried to slow my heart beat a little bit, still a bit shaken up from almost falling. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I finally said, nodding my head. "Thanks for catching me." He led Scarlett back into her stall, and came back out, offering me his arm in a joking manner.

"Shall we?" he asked in a fake English accent.

I grinned and looped my arm through his. "We shall," I consented, trying hard to stifle my laughter. We made our way back towards his house, instantly smelling breakfast. "Pancakes," I said happily, waving to Mimi in the kitchen.

"You better hurry and get some while you can," she teased. "Austin can eat like, ten."

"I could eat more if you let me," Austin grumbled, making me giggle. We both grabbed plates and loaded them up. After drowning his stack in syrup, Austin dug into his pancakes, making happy noises and finishing them in minutes. I was still making my way through my first pancake, taking slow, careful bites. "You're _so_ slow," Austin teased, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

"Okay, so Mike and Lester already went to town for the day, so that Mike could show him around the office," Mrs. Moon said, pouring a mug of coffe for herself. "Molly took Gracie to a birthday party, and I'm getting ready to head to work, so it's just you two for the day. Austin, you should take Ally into town and show her around."

Austin turned to me. "Is that cool with you?" I nodded my head, and Mrs. Moon left, telling us to have a good time today. "Okay, so today we can just go exploring. Maybe some time this week my friend Dez will come over so you can meet him."

"That would be nice," I said, smiling. I ran upstairs and got my messanger bag, placing my phone, wallet, and songbook into it. I let my hair down around my shoulders, and replaced my t-shirt with a nicer blouse, leaving the shorts on.

When I walked back downstairs, Austin was standing at the door, jingling a set of keys in his hand. "Ready?" he asked. I nodded, and he shot me a big grin, heading out the door. We walked out to the only vehicle left, a black pickup truck.

"When did you get your license?" I asked. I turned sixteen a month ago, and haven't gotten mine yet. We both climbed into the truck, and he started the short drive to town.

"A few months ago when I turned sixteen," he answered. "Have you gotten yours yet?" I shook my head. "Don't stress when you take the test, it's a breeze. And driving yourself around is so liberating."

He turned up the radio, and I began singing alond absentmindedly. After a moment, I realized what I was doing and quickly stopped, looking out the window. "Why did you stop?" Austin asked, glancing over at me. "You're really good." I stayed quiet for a few moments, letting him figure it out. "Oh, right, the stage fright. You know you don't have to be nervous in front of me, right? I'm not going to judge, and I happen to think you're an awesome singer."

"Thanks," I said quietly, smiling over at him. He turned the radio back up and we both sang along. "You're really great, too." He was better than great, to be honest. His voice was so powerful, but so smooth. We kept singing the rest of the ride there before he pulled into a small parking lot.

"Okay, so we can just walk around all day," Austin said. "This place isn't nearly as boring as it seems." I took in all the rustic shops and interesting places.

"Well, it must be a blast, then," I said, stepping out of the truck. "Because it doesn't look boring to me at all." Austin grinned and locked the truck, as we took off walking.

* * *

"This is _so_ good," I exclaimed, taking a huge bite of the burger in my hands. We were currently at a small restaurant, called Bippity Boppity Burgers, and I was eating the best burger of my life.

"That's the same thing that you said about my mom's dinner, and the pancakes this morning," Austin teased. "Maybe you just like food." He reached for a few of my fries, his own plate being cleaned, and I slapped his hand playfully. "See?"

"Fine," I said, giving in and allowing him to take a few. The waitress came over with our bill, and I reached into my wallet. Austin slipped her his credit card before I could pay anything though. "You didn't have to do that," I said, sighing. "I could have payed."

"I know you _could_ have," Austin said, smiling at me. "But I wanted to. You're here as a guest, so no worries." After the waitress brought back his card, we left the restaurant, walking off towards a farmer's market. There was fresh fruits and vegetables everywhere, plus a variety of other things.

But what really grabbed my attention was a stand selling homemade tie-dye t-shirts. Right there at the very front was a red tie-dyed design, a large black music note too. The shirt was really cool, and the fact that somebody made it with their own hands was even better. "You want it?" Austin asked, following my gaze and pulling out his wallet.

Before I could understand what he was doing, he walked over to the stand, slipping the vendor some money and bringing the shirt back, a large smile on his face. "You really don't have to," I said, reaching for my only wallet. "How much was it?"

"That's for me to know and for you to not find out," Austin said, smirking and slipping the shirt into my messanger bag. "I know that I don't _have_ to, I _want_ to. Just think of it as a I-have-missed-being-so-close-over-the-past-six-years gift."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine," I said. "And thank you. But, just so you know, I will find something that meets your standards before I leave, and we'll be even, okay?" He grinned and we continued walking along the shops, pointing at random things catching our eyes.

And I can't help but think to myself, _Am I falling for my childhood best friend? No, I can't be._

**(A/N - And that is the second chapter! Just a heads up ahead of time, Trish isn't going to be in this story, except for like a few phone calls or something. I wrote her as Ally's best friend in Miami, while Dez will be in this story a lot, since he lives in Raleigh, like Austin. Got it? :D And I was really impressed with the reviews, so keep them coming! Wow me! Thanks for reading!)**


	3. Chapter 3

**(A/N - Well, I decided to be extra great to you guys today, by posting a second chapter in the same day! :D I am going to start updating this every other day, as well as "Miami Arts" every other day. Sometimes I might update both, if I have time. I know for a fact that I won't be able to post anything tomorrow, which is why I'm giving you an extra today. You meet Dez in this chapter! Enjoy!)**

_Dear Songbook,_

_Not even twenty-four hours into what I thought would be a two month hell-hole, and I'm already having a blast. Mimi is a terrific cook, and Mike is so funny. I still haven't seen much of Molly, but I know she has a part-time job, so she won't always be around. Gracie is just the sweetest little thing._

_And then there's Austin - I honestly have no clue what I'm thinking. Sure, we picked up our friendship as if it never went away, but there is definitely something different in the air between us. Maybe, it's that we have both gotten older, and grown up a bit since we last saw each other. Maybe, we have been apart for too long, and this friendship won't work out like I originally planned._

_Or maybe, what I'm most afraid of is true - I might be falling for him. I mean, if anyone asks, my crush is Robby. But I had a great time with Austin today. And I will admit, he has gotten pretty stinking attractive. I don't know if I would ever want to be more than friends with Austin - we live thirteen hours apart after all, and I'm only here for the summer. I don't want to fall for him, because I know I will fall hard, and that will make leaving so much harder when late August comes around._

_I might just be overthinking all of this, too. Maybe I don't have feelings for Austin, maybe I have just been reading too many teen romances lately. Who knows, only time can tell._

_Love, Ally_

"What are you writing?" a voice asked, startling me. I am sitting on the swinging bench on the Moon's front porch, writing a journal entry in my songbook. Austin is standing a few feet away, watching me carefully - I never even heard him come outside.

"Nothing, really," I said, closing my book. I scooted over when he motioned for me to do so, and he sat down next to me, rocking the swing lightly. My feet don't even touch the ground so that I could do that, but his legs are much longer than mine.

"What is that anyway?" he asked, pointing at my book. "Is it a diary or something?"

"Sort of," I said, glancing down at the worn leather. "It's my journal/songbook. Sometimes, I just write stuff down, but it's mostly filled with the songs I write."

"Wait, you write songs?" Austin asked, his jaw dropping. "_That's_ why I didn't recognize the song you were singing last night. I can't believe you wrote that, it was amazing. Can I read some more?"

He reached for my book, but I pulled it away, shaking my head. "Never," I snapped, glaring at him. "Touch. My. Book. Got it?" He looked like a deer lost in headlights, and I almost laughed.

"Uh, okay," he said cautiously, putting his hands up in the air jokingly. "I see you are pretty protective - more so than a mother bear towards her cubs." At that point, I couldn't help it, I giggled.

"Oh, shut up," I said, swatting at his chest playfully. "Sorry that I snapped at you, I just really don't like people touching my book." He nodded his head in understanding, before reaching out with one finger to poke the leather on my journal. "Austin," I warned, yanking my book away again.

"Okay, okay," he said, laughing. "I'm done, I promise." We linked pinkies again, and then we just sat there, looking at the sun sinking below the mountains in the distance. "So, do you like it here, yet?"

"Well," I said, smiling to myself. "The first twenty-four hours have been a blast. No matter how much I didn't want to come, I'm glad I did. I feel like this will be a pretty memorable summer."

"Why didn't you want to come?" Austin asked, looking over at me seriously. "And why haven't you been coming for so long? We all missed you so much. It was like, you just disappeared."

"I'm sorry," I said slowly, gathering the courage to explain myself. I already know that I'm not going to cry, because I'm ready to talk about this. It has been six years, I can do this. "It's just that my mother was always so close to your family. When she died, I tried to push away as many reminders of her as I could, not wanting to burst out crying every time I saw someone or something that made me think of her. I always wanted to see you guys again, but I didn't think I could do it without getting upset. And then before we came here, I really wanted to see you guys, but I was a bit embarrassed, you know? I had avoided you all so long, acting like a brat, and I didn't think you guys would want me to come back around."

Austin listed intently, placing a comforting arm around my shoulders. "Of course we wanted you to come back, Ally," he said, smiling. "I know it was difficult for you when your mom died - it was hard for all of us too, because she was so close. And don't feel guilty or embarrassed, because we're just really glad that you finally came back."

I nodded my head, smiling. We sat there quietly for a few more moments, before I turned to him. "So, I remember Chestnut and Scarlett," I said. "But I also remember a few dogs. Are they still around?"

Austin nodded his head excitedly, jumping off the swing and out into the yard. He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. A few moments later, three dogs came barreling around the side of the house, following Austin up onto the porch excitedly. "Okay, go for it," Austin said. "Try to guess who is who."

I looked at each of the dogs. "I know for sure that is Cocoa, because you didn't do the irony thing twice," I said, pointing at the chocolate lab in front of me. Then I looked at the golden retriever to Cocoa's left. "I'm pretty sure that is Lassie." Then I pointed towards the last dog, a dalmation. "And this must be Shelley."

"Do you have some super memory or somethign?" Austin asked, laughing. "You're right." Then, he turned his attention to the dogs, and said in a baby-voice. "Do you guys remember Ally-Gator? Go get her."

I squealed as the three dogs came bounding towards me, knocking me down and licking my face. I laughed, trying to push the dogs away, but at the same time, enjoying it. I heard Austin laughing as well, and after a few more moments, he finally called them back.

"Alright, heel," he said, making all three dogs stop. "Go get your dinner." As if they understood exactly what he said, they took off back into the large yard, probably headed for their dog houses. "Sorry about that."

"Yeah, whatever," I said, laughing good-naturedly and accepting his out-stretched hand. He pulled me to my feet easily, and I glared at him playfully. "You totally enjoyed that."

"That is-" Austin began to protest, but couldn't hold in his laughter any more. "- _very_ true." I nodded my head in a knowing way, and grabbed my songbook, walking back inside the house. "Mom said dinner would be ready in like, thirty minutes, so you can go wash up, if you'd like. Oh, and by the way, I don't care how much you protest - we're all either going for a nightswim or watching a movie tonight. You're not allowed to argue."

"I wouldn't dream of it," I said, rolling my eyes and laughing. "Besides, that sounds fun, and I'm not as tired as I was last night." He grinned and walked towards the kitchen to help prepare dinner, while I ran upstairs and hopped into the shower, cleaning myself of dog slobber.

Then I hopped out and threw on a floral skirt and flirty blouse - now this was more my style. I pinned my bangs back and made my way downstairs, where everyone was just sitting down. "Ow, ow, Ally," Molly teased, glancing at my outfit. "Who are you trying to impress?"

"Nobody," I said, giggling and taking my seat. "This is what I almost always where. Earlier today was an exception."

"Well, no worries," Mike said, laughing. "We'll turn you into a country girl." Everyone at the table agreed, and for the first time I realized how country the Moons truly are. I mean, their accents are super noticable, but their house is so cozy, and they all wear jeans and plaid all the time. So, what I'm saying is, they aren't heehaw, cowboy western, but you definitely pick up that Southern vibe from the family.

"We'll see," I said, smiling as Mimi placed dinner on the table. I noticed that it was homemade pizza, with pepperoni. I grinned, because I love pepperoni, but realized that something was missing. "Not to be a bother, but do you guys have any pineapple?" Mimi nodded and grabbed a container of freshly cut pineapple from the fridge, handing it to me. I scooped some out, placing pieces on my pizza.

When I looked up, everyone but my father was watching me with an odd expression. "You're so weird," Austin said, shaking his head and smiling. I smiled too, because I knew he wasn't being mean.

"It's really good," I said, shrugging my shoulders. We all ate our pizza, which tasted really great. I even convinced Austin and Molly to try a slice with pineapple, and they both loved it.

"Okay, girls," Austin said to Molly and I. "Which one shall it be? A movie or a nightswim?"

"Either one is fine with me," I said, shrugging my shoulders. A nightswim sounds really fun. As if he could read my mind, Austin declared that we would be going in the pool.

I ran upstairs to put my bathingsuit on, grateful that it would be dark outside. I'm a bit self conscious, because I think that sometimes I might be too skinny. I pulled on my yellow bikini anyway, and through a baggy t-shirt on top of it. When I got downstairs, Molly and Austin were already in the pool, tossing a beach ball. "Took you long enough," Austin teased, motioning for me to join them.

I pulled my shirt off over my head and did a flawless dive into the pool - you learn to swim pretty well by living in Florida. We all tossed the ball around for a bit, before a boy walked through the back door and onto the pool deck. "Hey, Grant," Molly said excitedly, rushing out of the pool to meet him. "Ally, this is my boyfriend, Grant."

"Nice to meet you," he said, smiling. "I've heard a lot about you."

I grinned. "It's nice to meet you, too," I said. "Has Molly been talking about me?"

"Molly?" Grant asked, raising an eyebrow. "No, Austin is the one who talks about you all the time - something about his childhood best friend." I heard Austin groan from behind me, and I giggled as his cheeks turned pink.

Grant and Molly jumped back into the pool, and we all played Marco-Polo now that it was a bigger group of people. Eventually Grant and Molly went inside, which just left Austin and I floating around in the dark. "You look really nice, Ally," Austin said quietly, making all my feelings of self consciousness float away.

"You can't even see me," I said, laughing. "It's so dark outside."

He laughed too, and I followed the sound of his voice. "Yeah, but I just know that you do," he said. "You always do."

I was so grateful that he couldn't see my glowing cheeks in the dark right now. "Thanks," I said quietly, smiling. Eventually we got out of the pool and dried off, heading inside. "Goodnight, Austin," I said in the hallway.

"Goodnight, Als," he said, smiling and heading for his own room. "Oh, I want you to meet my friend, Dez, tomorrow." I nodded, shut the door behind me and got dressed in some pajamas, climbing into bed. I was excited to meet some of Austin's friends and to get to know what life was like around here.

* * *

I woke around ten the next morning, smiling at the thought of sleeping in. I could never do that during the school year, so I love when I actually get the chance. I peeled my eyelids opened and screamed, seeing a ginger hovering at the edge of my bed, watching me.

He screamed back, and Austin ran in. "Dez, what are you doing in here?" Austin asked, running his hands through his hair. He shot me an apologetic smile. "Goodmorning, Ally."

"I wanted to see if she was anything like you said," Dez said, as if it was completely normal to watch a stranger sleep. "Your scream really scared me." He pouted, crossing his arms.

"Well, it scared me to wake up to someone I don't know watching me," I said, shooting him a look. "Wait, what exactly has Austin told you about me?" I have to admit, I was curious.

"Oh," Dez said, tapping his finger against his chin as if in deep thought. "He said that you were his best friend when you were younger, and that he really missed you, and that you're really-"

Austin took that moment to clamp his hand over Dez's mouth, smiling nervously. "Dez, how about you go set up the video game, and I'll be down in a second?"

Dez nodded. "Okay, and I even brought my own controller," he exclaimed, reaching into a backpack he was wearing. "Oh, wait - this is my ham." I looked up to see that he was indeed holding a large ham.

My eyes widened as he left the room, slapping a beat on the meat. "What is wrong with him?" I hissed, looking over at Austin with concern.

Austin laughed and rolled his eyes. "What _isn't_ wrong with him?" he responded, making me giggle. "He is just really odd, but he's my best bud. He's a great person once you get to know him. And, uh, sorry that he watched you while sleeping."

"Yeah, that was a bit weird," I said, a smile playing across my lips. "So, what exactly did you tell him about me?"

The grin on Austin's face vanished, and he scratched the back of his neck. "Oh, uh, nothing," he said, shooting me a small smile. "Don't worry about it. And come down whenever you're ready."

With that he left the room, shutting the door behind him. I sat there for a few moments before shaking my head and getting dressed for what I could already tell is going to be an interesting day.

**(A/N - and that is the third chapter, mah friends! Keep up with the awesome reviews, and I'll be posting the next chapter on Thursday. :D If you liked this, please review. If you hated this, please review. If you are looking out your window right now, and a Zalien is walking around, please review - and get help!)**


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N - as promised, here it is! I am honestly the worst procrastinator ever, but I am ALMOST done with virtual school... almost... Anyway, enough about me! On with the story!)**

"So, what exactly is this?" I ask, gesturing towards the television. Right now, Austin and Dez are engrossed in some video game in which they are killing monstrous looking creatures.

"Zaliens," Austin said, turning around to look at me before whipping his head back to the screen. I smiled, since he at least looked at me while talking - most boys won't even speak if they're playing video games.

"We're awful at it," Dez said, dropping the controller after being defeated for the fifth time on that level.

"We aren't _that_ bad," Austin said, shaking his head. "This is level ninety, which takes quite a bit of skill to get to. We're just having a bit of trouble moving on, that's all. We need more practice."

"Can I try?" I asked cautiously, wanting to see what exactly was so great about this game. Dez snickered and Austin raised his eyebrows, looking amused, but not mean. "What?"

"Have you ever played?" Austin asked. I shook my head. "Well, this might be my source of entertainment for the day." He patted the small spot on the beanbag chair next to him, where I sat down. After handing me the controller and explaining what the buttons do, he restarted the level, with only me playing.

A few minutes later, a splat of green was dripping down the screen, signaling the end of something. "What just happened?" I asked the boys, whose mouths were open.

"You just beat the level that Dez and I have been stuck on for two weeks," Austin said incredulously, checking the screen again to see if that was really true. "Are you sure you've never played before?"

I nodded my head, shrugging my shoulders - it didn't seem like that big of a deal. "How did you-" Dez started, then clamped his mouth shut. "What did you-? Who did-? Huh?" I laughed at the confused look on his face.

"I just pressed buttons," I admitted, giggling. "It's not a big deal, really." Austin shook his head, smiling, while Dez's mouth continued to open and close, no sound coming out. "Is he okay?" I whispered to Austin.

"He'll be fine," he said, chuckling. Then he smacked Dez in the arm. "Yo Dez, we have a game today, remember?" Dez's eyes widened a bit more before he shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "It's at five."

"That's in two hours," Dez said, checking his watch. "We should probably start getting ready soon so we can get there early enough to warm up." Austin nodded his head and eased himself out of the beanbag chair, extending his hand to me.

I graciously accepted the offer, and he pulled me to my feet. "What are you guys talking about?" I asked. "What game?"

"We play volleyball," Austin said. "Two-on-two. Dez and I have a match at the park later today. Do you want to come? We could really use the moral support." He shot me a hopeful smile, and I almost agreed.

But, I don't know anyone else here. The only people I know are the Moons, and now, Dez, but both of them will be on the court. Who would I sit with? Who would I ask questions to when I don't understand? "I think I'll pass," I said, shaking my head. "I don't really understand volleyball."

"Then now is the perfect time to learn," Austin said, grinning. Then he shot me the puppy-dog eyes. "Please? I really want you to come."

I think Mimi was listening in, becauses a few seconds later, she spoke up for me. "Ally, dear," she said, walking over to us. "I'm going shopping this afternoon. Would you like to come with me?"

"That would be nice," I replied gratefully. Then, seeing the sad look on Austin's face, I smiled at him. "Sorry, Austin. But definitely some other time." He smiled back before he and Dez grabbed some stuff and left. "Thanks for that."

"Oh, don't thank me just yet," Mimi said mischieviously. "We're not going shopping - I mean, I'll gladly take you any day, but today, we're going to watch Austin play volleyball." I started to question her, but she shook her head, smiling. "We'll surprise him."

I grinned. "Sounds good," I said happily. I really was happy that I am going to watch him, since the only reason I didn't want to go was because I wouldn't know anyone. But if Mimi is coming, then I'll be fine. Plus, the look on Austin's face was almost heartbreaking when I told him I wasn't coming. "But, I don't know anything about volleyball."

"We've got two hours," Mimi said, laughing. "I'll teach you."

* * *

Austin and Dez took their places on the court just as Mimi and I were taking our seats in the stands. Even though this was just a small two-on-two match, a lot of people came to watch, cheering both teams on. When the match started, Austin and Dez were playing pretty well in my opinion. Gradually, Austin lost some energy, and all of his hits became half-hearted. "Come on, Austin," Mimi mumbled from beside me. "He's not putting his all into it."

During the halfway break, both teams went to get water. Austin and Dez were down by eight points, and it seemed like Austin just didn't even want to play anymore. _'We could really use the moral support.'_ rang through my head as Austin plopped down onto a bench.

I stood up and cupped my hands around my mouth, to be sure he heard me. "Come on, Austin and Dez," I cheered. "You guys can totally do this." Austin head snapped up, looking for my voice. When he saw me, his face lit up, and he ran over to Mimi and I.

"You guys are here?" he asked excitedly. "I thought you were going shopping."

"This is way more important," I teased. "But if you lose, I'm going to be pretty upset that I missed out on shopping." He grinned at me, and waved at his mom. "So get back in there, and do your best."

"Now that I know you're watching, I will," he said, winking and running back towards the court, where the match was about to continue. Just before the whistle blew, he turned around, and I gave him two thumbs-up. The change in Austin was incredible, and how much better he did with the boost of energy. His serves were powerful, his passes to Dez were perfect, and he drilled the ball onto the other side of the court with so much force, it sent sand flying.

In the end, Dez and Austin won, and the crowd cheered. Mimi explained that these were only pickup matches, and that nobody really cared who won, that they are just for fun, and for watching a good game. After shaking hands with the boys on the other team, Austin and Dez made their way to us, thanking people and shaking hands along the way. "You did great," I exclaimed when they came over.

"Well, I had someone to impress," Austin said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders and smiling a bit. I felt a slight blush rise to my cheeks, until a blonde girl ran over and wrapped Austin in a large hug. "Oh, hey, Rosie." _Oh, maybe that is who he had to impress._

He gave her a quick hug back, and she gave Dez a high-five. "You guys did amazing," Rosie gushed, not even bothering to introduce herself to me. As I watched her, I felt a nasty emotion - jealousy. Why am I jealous? Austin is off-limits, because no matter how easy it would be to fall for him, leaving at the end of the summer would be that much harder.

So, why should I care if he has a girlfriend? I shouldn't. I shook my head to clear my thoughts, realizing that Austin was speaking to me. "Ally, this is Rosie," he said, gesturing to the girl. "Rosie, this is Ally."

"Nice to meet you," the girl said excitedly, walking up and hugging me quickly. "You're a friend of Austin's, right?"

"Something like that," I said, nodding my head. Inwardly, I groaned, because I could tell that Rosie is the kind of girl that you couldn't not like, even if you wanted to. And boy, do I want to.

"So, Ally," Austin said, smiling at me. "A few of us are going to go celebrate. Will you come with us?" I almost accepted the offer, but then I realized that I probably don't want to watch Austin and Rosie hanging all over each other.

"I think I'm good," I said, smiling politely. "I'm going to go find your mom." I waved goodbye to Rosie and Dez before walking away in search of Mimi. After I was a few steps away, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

When I spun around, Austin was standing there, concern lacing his facial features. "Are you sure you don't want to come?" Austin asked, smiling hopefully. "We were going to go to Bippity Boppity Burger, and I know you loved that the other day."

"Yeah, I think I'm just going to head back to your house after I find your mom," I said, sighing a bit. "Maybe next time, though. Congratulations on winning, by the way - it was a great game."

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked, taking a step closer to me, as if he was searching for the answer in my eyes. I shook my head. "Then why don't you want to come?"

"Austin, I just don't," I exclaimed, a bit frustrated. "Why is this such a big deal?"

"Als, please calm down," he said, putting his hands on my shoulders. "I just wanted to make sure nothing was wrong." I nodded my head and walked away to find Mimi.

* * *

Later that night, I was sitting by the edge of the pool, letting my feet hang off into the water. "Hey," I heard a quiet voice say from behind me. I looked up to see it was Austin, holding a Styrofoam container.

He sat at the edge of the pool next to me, dipping his own feet in the water. "Hi," I said, smiling weakly. "How was your celebration?"

"It would have been way better if you were there," he admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "But no worries, it was still kind of fun. I meant to say this earlier, but thank you so much for coming to my game today. It meant a lot to me."

"No problem," I said, swirling my toes around in the cold water. "It wasn't that big of a deal-"

"It kind of was," Austin said, nudging one of my feet with his own. "Did you see how much better I played after I talked to you? I had no motivation up until that point. We probably would have gotten destroyed."

"I doubt it," I said, giggling, even though I did notice the change after the break. I think he just needed a few minutes to relax, though. Obviously he doesn't need me there, because I have never been there before. Plus, he has a girlfriend, right?

"Well, since you couldn't make it to the celebration, I brought you a burger," Austin announced, handing me the styrofoam box. "I got your order from the other day."

"Even the extra pickles," I said happily, after examining the burger. It looked really good, and it was really sweet that he took the time to remember my order. "Thank you so much."

"It was the least I could do," he said, laughing. We both stood up and headed for the door. "So, what do you say, want to head on in and eat with me?"

"You just ate," I pointed out, raising my eyebrows.

Austin put his hands up in protest. "Hey, I'm a growing boy," he said, making me laugh. "I could eat all day, and still be incredibly hungry."

I almost accepted his offer, but a little voice in my head kept repeating, _'Don't get your hopes up. He has a girlfriend. You're only here for the summer.'_

I glanced at the to-go box in my hands again before sending him an apologetic smile. "I'm actually really tired, so I think I'm just going to go eat in my room," I said, trying not to give away anything in my voice. "That way, I can go to sleep right afterwards. Thanks again, for the burger."

I darted up the stairs after sending him one more smile. Before I turned, though, I noticed the downcast look on Austin's face, and heard the quiet, "Sure, no problem."

I ate my burger silently in my room, but it didn't taste quite as good as the other day. Maybe it was because the burger I had the other day was fresh out of the oven. Or maybe it was because I didn't have a certain blonde with me while I ate.

But one thing that I do know for sure is that I cannot fall for Austin. The first reason being, he may or may not have a girlfriend - I figured he would have told me, but he and Rosie did seem like a couple to me. The second reason is because I am leaving soon, and although our families visit each other multiple times throughout the year, it's not the same as seeing him all the time.

If I let myself like Austin as more than a friend, then I can guaruntee, my heart will end up broken in some way.

**(A/N - What did you think? :D I think you should review! ;D because you guys leave such awesome ones! Don't worry too much about Rosie, I think Ally might be just a bit paranoid! (: Okay, so here is my hints for the next chapter: Most of the chapter is going to be a dream that Ally has. Afterwards, there may be a little phone conversation with Trish, who is back in Miami! What do you guys think that the dream is going to be about? OH, and who else has seen the rumors flying around about Austin kissing Ally's cheek in "Successes and Setbacks"? What do you guys think about it? I kind of think it's true, but I'm also not going to get my hopes up too high! But it seems kind of likely. :D )**


	5. Chapter 5

**(A/N - I wasn't planning on uploading this tonight, but since it is so short, I decided I would. (: In exchange, you guys should totally leave some kick-butt reviews. :D also, I will not be posting on June 23 - nor will I be reading, reviewing, or even signed on. A lot of you probably know why, but if not, I'll explain in my ending Author's Note. For now, just enjoy the chapter! I know it seems really familiar at first, but you'll figure out why!)**

_"Ally, wake up," my dad said excitedly, shaking my shoulder gently. "We're here." I forced my eyelids open, blinking and taking in the area around me. We were, in fact, at the Moon's house, and it was just as I remembered it. The many acres of land, covered in grass, and spotted with trees. The large, two-story house, which was now painted tan, rather than white. The large front porch, with the swinging seat. It was all there._

_And behind the house, I know, is a pool, and playset - if the Moons kept that. They may not have, but they probably did, since Gracie was born. "It's just like I remember," I say, smiling slightly. It was nice seeing something so familiar, even if I haven't been here in many years._

_"Come on, let's go inside," my father said. "We can come get the bags later." I nodded my head and followed him through the grass and up the steps to the porch. He tested the door handle, which was unlocked, since we were being expected, and because my father is practically family here. _

_"Lester," a voice shouted, with loud steps running towards the front door, where we just entered. "Come here, buddy." Standing in front of us was Mike Moon, a tall man, who happened to be my father's best friend. They exchanged a long hug, talking excitedly, before Mike turned to me. "And Ally! Les told me you were coming, but I didn't believe him."_

_I broke into a broad grin, already feeling comofortable around him again. That was something about Mike - he was like a people magnet. You are just drawn to like him. "Hi, Mike," I said, stepping forward to give him a hug. "Of course I came."_

_Mike ruffled my hair a bit, something he did when I was younger. "And you are so pretty now," he said, examining me. "The pictures that Lester sends don't nearly do you justice. You look a lot like your mom, you know."_

_I felt my smile drop for a second, but the corners of my mouth quickly turned upward again. It has been six years since my mother died, and although I never will get over it completely, I have learned to deal with it the best I can. "Thanks," I said, grinning up at him._

_"Hey, guys," a perky voice said. I turned to see Mrs. Moon pulling an apron off over her head, grinning widely at us. She pulled my father into a quick hug, and turned to me. "Oh, Ally," she said, hugging me tightly. "We have missed you so much. When Lester said you were coming, I was so excited that I spent the whole day baking." _

_"It's true," another female voice quipped up. I broke away from my hug with Mimi to see Molly standing a few feet away. "Hey, Ally," she said, waving me over into a hug. "You haven't met her yet, but this is Gracie."_

_I looked down to see a short, blonde girl smiling up at me. "Hi," she said shyly, giggling a bit. I remember my dad saying that she was eight now. I can't believe that I have been avoiding the Moons so long, I completely missed out on a member of their family._

_"Hi, sweetie," I said, leaning down and giving her a hug. I straightened back up, and Mike and Mimi began asking my father about our drive up here. "Where's Austin?" I asked at a quiet moment, glancing around for my old friend._

_"Here," a cold voice snapped. I looked up to see a tall, blonde boy standing in the corner, his arms folded, and a look of anger on his face. _

_"Austin?" I asked, squinting at him. There is no way that is Austin. He was short and chubby when we were younger, and now he is tall, thin, muscular, and all in all, extremely attracitve. _

_"That's my name," Austin said, rolling his eyes. "I'm surprised you actually remembered." I'm not going to lie, that stung a bit. I was expecting it to be a little awkward after not coming by for six years. I didn't expect Austin, my childhood best friend, to practically hate my guts, though._

_"Austin, go help Ally with their bags," Mike said, motioning towards the door. Austin shook his head and walked out of the room, up the stairs. "Here, Ally, I'll help you."_

_After Mike and I grabbed the bags and he showed me my room, we went back downstairs for dinner. I kept smiling over at Austin, hoping to mend the fences between us quickly, otherwise this will be a long summer. Each time, however, he either avoided my eye contact, scowled, or used his fork to violently stab a potato on his plate._

_When the awkward dinner was over, I decided to help Mrs. Moon with the dishes. She promised to give me any recipes that I like while I'm here, and I promise her that I will try to start calling her Mimi, like she asked. I even talked to her about why I haven't been coming around - my mother's death._

_"So, what's going on with Austin?" I asked, looking over to her as we watched the sun drop behind the mountains in the distance. "I mean, I know I haven't been here in a while, but I didn't expect him to hate me, you know?"_

_"Sweetie, I can assure you that he doesn't hate you," Mimi said, squeezing my shoulder. "He's... upset with you. You two were the best of friends when our families visited, and he really missed you the past six years. I don't think he realizes why you haven't been coming around - you should talk about it with him."_

_I thanked her and ran up the stairs, knocking on what I know is Austin's door. He swung the door open and almost let it slam back in my face, but I blocked it. "What do you want?" he snapped, walking back towards his bed._

_I walked a few feet into the room, standing there awkwardly. "I want to talk," I said, trying not to be offensive. I really wanted to fix this, and giving him attitude won't help. "I want to say I'm sorry."_

_"For what?" Austin scoffed, rolling his eyes. "For ditching me and my family? For never visiting, calling, or writing? For completely skipping out on my little sister being born? You should be."_

_"Austin, please-" I said, trying to explain. "At least let me tell you why I did all that stuff."_

_"No," Austin shouted. "I don't have to let you. Want to know why? You haven't wanted anything to do with me for six years. Now, you just show up and expect me to want you back in my life? Try again, Dawson."_

_I started to protest, but suddenly a blonde girl ran into the room, launching herself at Austin. "Hey, babe," she said excitedly, kissing him passionately. "Who is that?"_

_"I don't even know anymore, Rosie," Austin said, rolling his eyes. "Just forget about her. I have."_

* * *

I woke with a start, trying to erase the dream from my mind as quickly as I could. It all seemed too real, and it frightens me to think that is what could have happened when I got here. It was nine in the morning when I woke up, which should be about the time Trish, my best friend in Miami, is getting up. I grabbed my laptop from my suitcase and turned it on, clicking on the video chat.

A few minutes later, the curly black hair of my best friend appearred on the screen, poofing out. "Ally," Trish exclaimed into her webcam. "How's it going? We all miss you here in Miami. Meet any cute boys yet?"

"Yeah, I guess," I said distantly, thinking of Austin. "And I miss you guys, too. Can you tell Jenny and Aurora that I say hi?"

"Totally," Trish said, nodding her head and making her curls bounce around wildly. "Now, back to the guy. Spill, what is he like?" Despite my horrible dream and bad mood, I grinned at my best friend's antics. She loves a good romance.

"It's Austin," I said quietly, so nobody could hear if they were passing by my door. "You know, the one I'm staying with?" I have known Trish since kindergarten, so she met Austin a few times on his visits to Miami. "The one that took the snow cone and-"

"Okay, okay," Trish shouted, waving her hands around. "I don't want to relive that. Anyway, I asked if you met any cute guys. I figured he would have been like, a six."

"He's at least a nine now," I said, smiling. "If not, a ten. I'll send you a picture later. Anyway, I'll admit that he is extremely attractive, but I'm trying really hard not to fall for him. On my way up here, I was super worried that after not seeing him for six years, things would be awkward, or he would hate me. But we picked up right where we left off."

"Okay, so why do you sound so freaked out?" Trish asked, squinting into her camera. "Just don't fall for him."

"Let me finish," I said, sighing. "Anyway, we picked up our friendship easily, but something seemed different, more - flirtatious, I guess. He is super sweet, and does really nice things for me. But I can't let myself fall for him, because it's going to make leaving at the end of the summer extremely difficult. Anyway, yesterday I went to his volleyball game, and this girl was like, hanging on him. He never officially introduced her as his girlfriend, but I have a feeling she is. Then, last night, I had a terrible dream about him hating me, and not wanting anything to do with me."

"Ally, you talk so much," Trish said, rubbing her temples. "Deep breaths." I took her advice and began inhaling and exhaling deeply, calming myself down. "Okay, good. Now, it's obvious that he has some feelings for you - I'm sure he does. And if he didn't introduce her that way, then she probably isn't his girlfriend. You just need to calm down, and talk to him. And don't be too afraid to fall, alright? Because even if it is just for the summer, you can find another guy later. Have a fun summer, and don't let this get in the way."

"You're right," I said. "Thank you, Trish, I really needed to talk to somebody about this. Even thirteen hours away, you're the best friend ever."

"I know," Trish said, lacking modesty. "You can repay me by bringing me a souvenir." I laughed and agreed. We talked for a few more minutes, and then we said goodbye. I closed my laptop, and sighed, collecting my thoughts.

Trish is right - I shouldn't be afraid to fall, even if I'll be leaving in two months. I shouldn't let that stop me from having a great summer. Now, I just need to see if Austin is actually single, and if anything would even work between us.

**(A/N - okay, so pretty short, but it was only a dream and video chat! If you didn't understand, the first half (in italics) was an in-depth dream that Ally had. The second half was her conversation with Trish afterwards. For all of you worried about Rosie, don't be. (: You'll find out in the next chapter or so what is going on with that. As for me not signing on June 23, google the Fanfiction petition against deleting mature content. Basically, they're going to try to delete anything that isn't a K rating. Please take the time to go look and sign the petition, as many of my stories, and my favorite stories are rated T. Thanks!)**


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N - well, I was feeling extra nice today, so not only did I update this again, but I update "Miami Arts" as well - go check it out! :D This is another quick one, but I think you'll enjoy it.)**

After my video chat with Trish, I felt a lot better about the whole Austin situation. If I find out that Rosie is his girlfriend, then I probably won't fall for him. But if he is single, and I do fall for him, I just need to have a fun summer. So really, there isn't anything to worry about.  
I walked down the hall to the Moon's music room, because I felt like writing a song today. Normally, I write on the piano, but I was thinking of using a guitar today. When I walked in, Austin was strumming an electric guitar lazily, smiling when I walked in. "Good morning," I said, smiling.

"Hey," he said, setting the guitar down and giving me his attention. I noticed that he does that a lot - drops what he is doing to make sure I know he is listening. "How did you sleep?"

"Like a baby," I said, laughing. "Thanks again for the burger last night, I hadn't eaten dinner. And sorry that I didn't go to the celebration, I was pretty tired."

"I checked on you around ten last night," Austin said, gazing over at me. "I just popped my head in for a second, and you were fast asleep. Uh, I hope you don't mind that I checked on you, I just wanted to be sure you were okay."

"No, that's fine," I said, smiling to myself. "In fact, it's really sweet of you."

"Good," he said, grinning. Then he nudged me with his elbow, smirking. "Did you know that you snore when you sleep?" My eyes went wide. "Don't worry, it's quiet, and actually pretty cute." We both blushed at his words. "Oh, and you talk in your sleep, too."

"_What_?" I shouted, my mind suddenly racing. I talk in my sleep? What if I was saying stuff from my dream? I grabbed the collar of his t-shirt and made him look at me. "What did I say?"

"Als, calm down," he said, putting his hands over mine and detaching them from his shirt. He placed my hands in his lap, still keeping his over them. "I was just kidding about the sleep talking - but you really do snore."

I rolled my eyes and swatted him playfully, immediately missing the feeling of his hands on mine. We locked eyes for a second, both of us smiling. "Uh," I stammered, suddenly feeling nervous. "So I came in here to ask if I could borrow a guitar."

"Take your pick," he said, gesturing towards the wall lined with guitars behind him. "Although if I was picking for you, I would choose that one." He pointed at a really pretty acoustic, stained a dark brown.

I picked it up and began strumming - it even sounded beauitful. "Yeah, I think I'll use this one," I said, nodding my head and strumming out a new melody.

"How do you make a new melody so quickly?" Austin asked me, a look of awe crossing his face. "I know I don't recognize that, and it's really good. Did you just write that as you were playing?"

"Well, yeah," I say shyly, shrugging my shoulders. "I mean, it really isn't that big of a deal. I just play random things that I think will sound good together, and then I add the lyrics later." He shook his head, smiling. "Here, try it with me."

I played the song again, and he grabbed another acoustic, catching on quickly and playing along with me. I sat there and began spitting random lyrics out. "_Hey baby won't you look my way, I can be your new addiction_," I sang out, motioning for Austin to try to create a line.

"_Hey baby what you gotta say_?" he sang out, shooting me a questioning look. I nodded my head, wanting him to continue. "_All you're giving me is fiction_." We kept saying lines back and forth, and two hours later, we had a song done. We switched off on the verses, and sang the chorus together.

_Hey baby won't you look my way _  
_I can be your new addiction _  
_Hey baby what you gotta say?_  
_All you're giving me is fiction _  
_I'm a sorry sucker and this happens all the time _  
_I found out that everybody talks _  
_Everybody talks, everybody talks_

_It started with a whisper _  
_And that was when I kissed her _  
_And then she made my lips hurt _  
_I could hear the chit chat _  
_Take me to your love shack _  
_Mamas always gotta back track _  
_When everybody talks babe_

_Hey honey you could be my drug _  
_You could be my new prescription _  
_Too much could be an overdose _  
_All this trash talk make me itchin _  
_Oh my my sugar _  
_Everybody talks, everybody talks _  
_Everybody talks, too much_

_It started with a whisper _  
_And that was when I kissed her _  
_And then she made my lips hurt _  
_I could hear the chit chat _  
_Take me to your love shack _  
_Mamas always gotta back track _  
_When everybody talks babe_

_Never thought I'd live _  
_To see the day _  
_When everybody's words got in the way_

_Hey sugar show me all your love _  
_All you're giving me is friction_  
_ Hey sugar what you gotta say?_

_It started with a whisper _  
_And that was when I kissed her _  
_And then she made my lips hurt _  
_I could hear the chit chat _  
_Take me to your love shack _  
_Mamas always gotta back track _  
_When everybody talks babe_

_Everybody talks _  
_Everybody talks _  
_Everybody talks _  
_Everybody talks _  
_Everybody talks _  
_Everybody talks...back_

_It started with a whisper _  
_And that was when I kissed her_

_Everybody talks _  
_Everybody talks...babe_

_The end... _**(1)**

When we were done, Austin and I were grinning widely, amazed at the song we just came up with. "Wow," I exclaimed. "I thought you couldn't write songs."

"I can't," he said, shrugging. "You wrote most of that, I just threw in a few lines."

"Yeah, but the lines you put in were pretty great," I pointed out, nudging him with my shoulder playfully.

"I guess I just had some inspiration," he said, smiling. I got some butterflies in my stomach, thinking that he might mean me. We both just sat there, smiling, holding each others gaze. Austin glanced down at my lips, then back to my eyes, leaning forward a bit. Even though my heart was pounding, I leaned forward a bit too.

I felt his breath dangerously close, and pulled back suddenly, just before our lips were going to crash together. "Austin, wait," I exclaimed, opening my eyes. He looked up at me with concern.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I shouldn't have done that - or, uh - _tried_ to do that." Probably because he and Rosie are dating, and that would make him a cheater. We were both just caught up in the moment.

"Uh, yeah," I stammered, biting my lip. I cursed myself for pulling away before we got the chance to kiss - even though that would be unfair to Rosie, I will admit that I wanted to. "I should probably go to my room, or something."

I stood up and rushed out of the room, pausing only when Austin called out, "That was an awesome song. I hope we can write more together."

I nodded and dashed down the hall and down the stairs, needing to get away. Would I love to write more songs with Austin? _Yes_. Did I want to kiss him? _Definitely_. Could I do any of that? _No_ - at least, I don't think I can.

When I got downstairs, Dez was walking in through the front door, carrying a leash. "Ally," he shouted, waving at me. "I lost my kangaroo, and came over to see if I left it here yesterday."

"Dez, you don't have to yell," I said quietly. "I'm right here. Also, did you say kangaroo? You have a pet kangaroo? I haven't seen one running around."

"Hm," he said, tapping his chin in thought. "Maybe I left him in the refridgerator again." _What_? "Eh, I might as well go hang out with Austin, since I'm already here. Where is he?"

"He was in the music room last I saw," I said, sighing. "You can go up there."

He started to walk upstairs, but turned around, a look of concern on his face. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked. I was going to nod and leave it at that, but then I decided, who better to ask about Austin than his best friend?

"Actually," I said carefully. "I have a question." He nodded his head, waiting for me to continue. "Does Austin have a girlfriend?"

"Austin?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. "No, he doesn't. Why?"

"Just wondering," I said, my heart feeling much lighter. "Thanks, Dez." He nodded and ran up the stairs to find Austin, while I sighed in relief. So, Rosie _isn't_ Austin's girlfriend. They might be friends, or possibly even really flirty. But they aren't officially dating, which makes me feel better about what almost happened in the music room. Yes, it is official. I have fallen for my childhood best friend, Austin Moon. Now, I just need to figure out what to do about it.

* * *

Later that afternoon, I was sprawled across the swing on the Moon's front porch, scratching behind Shelley's ears. Austin came out and hoisted himself up onto the porch railing across from me, watching me with a smile on his face.

"Hey," I said, smiling, and flipping over so that I was facing him. He reached out with his foot and began rocking the swing lightly.

"Hey there," he said, the grin not leaving his face. At this point, he holds a scary resemblence to the Joker.

"You're freaking me out," I sang, teasing. "Want to tell me what you're so happy about?"

"Actually," Austin said, leaning down to pet Lassie and Cocoa, who had just joined us on the porch. "I was hoping you could explain something to me. Dez came up, looking for his pet kangaroo-"

"Yeah, what is _that_ about?" I asked, cutting him off. Normally, I wouldn't stop people mid-sentence, but this was a little important. I am starting to question the mental sanity of Dez, and I only met him a day ago.

"That, my friend," Austin said, chuckling. "Is Dez being Dez." I giggled and rolled my eyes, definitely questioning his sanity now. "Anyway, he came up saying that you seemed a bit upset, and that you asked him if I have a girlfriend."

He cocked an eyebrow, and I felt my cheeks burning. It's a good thing that I am upside down on the swing, because the blood had been rushing to my head as it was. "Uh, yeah," I said nervously. "I was wondering." He shot me a questioning look, waiting for me to continue. "Okay, I just wanted to know if you were dating Rosie."

"Rosie?" he asked, surprise evident on his face. "No way. She and I have been friends since the sixth grade, and she has a boyfriend. Why would you think we were dating?" I shrugged, and he smirked. "Were you jealous?"

"Not at all," I exclaimed, swatting his legs with my hand. "I was just a little upset because I thought that you had a girlfriend and didn't tell me. I thought, maybe you were embarrassed to introduce me to her."

I thought it was a pretty convincing twist of truth. "_Riiiight_," Austin said, stretching out the word, and winking. "Okay, well now that you know I don't have a girlfriend and I'm not embarrassed to show you around, are we good?"

"Yeah, we're good," I said, grinning, glad that he didn't want to bring up almost kissing earlier.

"Awesome," he exclaimed, pumping his fists. "So do you want to come hang out with me tonight? We can go to dinner, and I'll introduce you to a ton of my friends - including Rosie and her boyfriend."

"Sure, that sounds great," I said, nodding my head. "I can't wait to meet more of your friends. They aren't all as weird as Dez, right? I mean, he's nice and helped me out earlier, but..." I trailed off, letting the sentence hang, and Austin just cracked up. His laughter sounds like music.

**(A/N - so, what did you think? Told you guys you didn't have to worry about Rosie. ;D Now, what do you think is going to happen? Review! :D I'll update again on Sunday, if my stories don't get removed for being rated T...)**

1) Everybody Talks - Neon Trees  
try to imagine it as an acoustic version, between the two. Also, who else starts doing the Riker and Rydel dance every time this song comes on? I know I do!


	7. Chapter 7

**(A/N - hey, if you're reading this, that means my story didn't get deleted! Sweet! I hope no stories got deleted... Anyway, here's the chapter! Enjoy!)**

"How many?" a host asked, as we walked into a local diner. It had a 1960s theme, and there was a jukebox in the corner. All the waitors and waitresses were on roller skates, and had to skate around while delivering food.

"Two," Austin said, and we followed her to a table. Only two? I thought we were meeting his friends.

"Right this way," the host said, gesturing towards a booth. I took a seat on one side, and Austin took the side across from me. "Your server is Jason, and he'll be with you soon."

"Thanks," I said, smiling politely as she walked away. Then, I cocked an eyebrow at Austin. "I thought you said you were going to introduce me to your friends."

"I am," Austin said, nodding his head. "After dinner. I was planning on it just being me and you, and then meeting up with my friends later. I mean, if that's alright with you." _That's perfectly fine with me_. I nodded my head, and he grinned, handing me a menu.

Suddenly, a waitor came over on his roller blades. "Hey there," he said, waving happily and pulling out his order pad. "My name is Jason, and I'll be your server tonight."

We both nodded our head, and I told Austin to go first, since I was still picking. "Chicken fingers, mac and cheese, and a Cheerwine to drink, please," Austin said.

Jason nodded and wrote it down. "And what about for the pretty lady?" he asked, grinning at me. I blushed and glanced back down at my menu.

"Well, I've never been here,"I explained. "What looks good?"

"You do," Jason said, winking at me and smirking. I noticed Austin stiffen across the table, but just shook my head.

"I'll take the same thing he is getting," I said politely, handing him my menu. "Thanks." Jason nodded and walked away, but not before winking at me again, and shooting a crooked grin.

I glanced over to see Austin shaking his head, his eyes trained on the back of Jason's head in a glare. "Are you okay?" I asked, reaching over to place my hand on his arm.

He turned back to me and his face softened. "Yeah," he said, nodding his head. "I just don't think he should be flirting with customers, that's all."

"Flirting?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow. I guess he was being a little extra friendly to me.

"Come on, Als," Austin said, chuckling. "The guy was practically drooling over you. Actually, a few guys in here are, but you just don't notice." He waved a hand in front of my face jokingly. "Maybe we should go get your eyes checked."

I laughed and swatted at him, just as Jason came back with our drinks. "Here you go," he said, handing me my drink. He held his hand on the cup, his fingers brushing mine, until I cleared my throat.

"Thanks," I said curtly. Then I grinned and Austin and reached across the table, taking his hand and intertwining our fingers. "Thanks so much for bringing me here, Austy," I pretended to gush.

I tried not to giggle as Jason walked away, shaking his head. He didn't try flirting the rest of the evening, probably because he thought Austin and I were in a relationship. "_Austy_?" Austin asked, quirking an eyebrow.

I let go of his hand and laughed, taking a sip of my drink. "At least now, he'll stop trying to flirt," I pointed out, and Austin laughed in agreement. When Jason brought back our food, he did it without smiling, and Austin and I tried not to grin too much. "This is so good."

Austin laughed as he scarfed down his food. "Yep, I have decided," he announced, teasing. "You just really like food. You say that about everything you eat. I could probably feed you brussel sprouts, and you would say they were good."

"Nu uh," I protested, giggling. We both finished our food, and were about to walk out the door, when I remembered the jukebox. "Come here," I said, dragging him over to the machine.

I fished a quarter out of my pocket and inserted it into the machine, flipping through songs. I picked _'Sunday Morning'_ by Maroon 5. "Nice choice," Austin said, nodding his head. "Will you come dance with me?"

"Austin, I can't dance," I said, laughing.

"Then I'll teach you," he said, placing one of my hands on his shoulder, and holding the other in one of his own. He placed his other hand gently on the small of my back and pulled me closer to him. We did a sped-up version of a slow dance, swaying to the song. "Okay, now, I'm going to spin you," he said, letting go and twirling me. He spun me back to him and grinned down at me.

I can't believe I'm dancing. When the song ended, we swayed for a few more seconds, before realizing the music stopped. "Thanks," I said, blushing.

"It was nothing," he said, slinging an arm around my shoulder as we walked out of the diner. On the way out, a few people made '_aww_' noises, and grinned at us, probably thinking we were a couple. _Let them think that. I know that's what I want._ "Okay, so now I'm taking you the Peak."

"What's the Peak?" I asked, looking over at him.

"It's just this cool hang out spot for teenagers," Austin said as we hopped into his truck and took a short drive. "They do something different all the time. Some nights, there are bonfires, other nights, there are dances. Sometimes, they place a huge screen out there and show movies. But tonight, they have the annual summer go-cart race. I'm racing."

"Really?" I asked. "Is it safe? Legal?"

"Completely safe, and legal," he assured me, chuckling. "I have won the past two years, and I have never seen anyone get hurt. But no worries, I'll show you my friends first. You can sit with them, and cheer me on. As you could tell from my volleyball match, you're kind of a good luck charm."

"Shut up," I laughed, swatting at his arm. "That was the first time I ever came, and I'm sure you won games before." He rolled his eyes, and we walked from his truck to what I assume is the Peak.

"Austin," Dez shouted, waving him over. "Come here, buddy." We walked over to where Dez was standing, with a large group of people. The only other person I recognize is Rosie.

"Guys, this is Ally," Austin announced to the group, putting his arm around me again. I waved shyly, and they all waved back. "Ally, you know Dez, and this is Jenna, Marcus, Sapphire, Ty, Eric, Rosie, and her boyfriend, Louis."

I nodded to each of them, smiling. "It's really nice to meet all of you," I said. Austin squeezed my shoulder, then waved.

"Gotta run," he said. "I have to go get ready for the race."

"I'll cheer extra loud," I said, winking. He winked back and ran off, while I followed everyone else to the stands set up around a makeshift track. Dez patted the seat next to him, and I gratefully took it, since I feel most comfortable with him out of everyone else in the group. Heh, didn't think I would ever feel comfortable with Dez.

Before the race, all of Austin's friends kept talking to me. It turns out that Rosie is really nice, just like I thought at first - you can't not like her as a person. I felt bad for judging her and jumping to jealous conclusions when I thought that she and Austin were dating. "Oh, it's about to start," Dez exclaimed, pointing down at the track where there were six carts lined up. "Austin is the yellow one."

"Of course he is," I laughed. Yellow is Austin's favorite color, so he would have the yellow car. I briefly thought I recognized another racer, in red, but brushed it off, since I don't really know anybody here.

The race began and Austin took the lead, as Dez explained things to me that I didn't understand. "Okay, so it's almost the end," Dez said excitedly, as everyone in the stands stood up and cheered. "I think Austin might win."

"What the hell is Moriarte doing?" Rosie asked, and everybody in the crowd went rigid. "Oh my God, he's going to wreck him."

"Who is Moriarte?" I asked Dez nervously.

"Jason Moriarte," Dez said through gritted teeth. "He's obviously trying to wreck Austin's go-cart. I swear, the guy would rather play dirty than win the race the right way."

"Wait, he's trying to wreck-" I exclaimed, just as we all heard tires squealing. Silence and stiffness washed over the crowd as we all saw Austin cross the finish line, a cart crashing into his and knocking him off the course right afterwards, into a pile of tires. The cart flipped a few times, and Austin's head hit the steering wheel, with the helmet offering slight cushion. "Austin," I shrieked.

Dez ushered me down the stands quickly, running over to where Austin's cart was. Other drivers hopped out of their carts, grabbing the guy who crashed into Austin, so he couldn't run. Paramedics who I assume are at the race for safety dashed over to Austin with a stretcher. I started crying silently, and Dez slung an arm over my shoulders, trying to get me not to look over at where Austin's cart was.

"Let me go," I shouted, trying to wrench away from him and get to Austin. Finally I just gave up and slumped into his arms.

"Ally, it's okay," Dez said quietly, trying to soothe me. "He's going to be fine, but we have to let the paramedics help him. People have crashed here before, and this is safe, I promise. You just have to let them help."

I nodded my head, still crying. I was actually kind of frightened, because Dez doesn't seem like a calm, soothing person. Then again, Austin did say that he was a really sweet guy if you get to know him. The rest of Austin's friends joined us at the edge of the track, and Jenna and Rosie tried to help calm me down.

"He'll be fine," Rosie said, squeezing my arm. "I've known Austin since sixth grade, and he's gotten hurt way worse than this before. Trust me, he'll be just fine. He's tough."

"Thanks," I said, suddenly feeling strong enough to stop crying. Granted, I have probably known Austin the longest out of anybody standing here, but I haven't exactly been involved in his life the past few years, so they probably know more about him than I do. Suddenly, I remember Dez and Rosie talking about Jason Moriarte, who was trying to crash into him. "Who the hell is Jason Moriarte?" I spat out, hating the name.

Rosie pointed over at a guy standing near the red go-cart, that crashed into Austin. He was waving his arms around and shouting, while a police officer spoke to him, and people all around were glaring. I started walking that way, and Dez followed close behind.

As I got closer, the guy looked up at me. "Oh, hey," he said arrogantly, winking at me. "So, did you rethink your decision from the diner?" I gasped, suddenly recognizing him. He was Jason, the waitor Austin and I had a few hours ago.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I growled, lunging for the guy. Dez wrapped his arms around me and pulled me back, while Jason flinched. "Dez, let me go."

"No, Ally," Dez said firmly, tightening his grip on my wiggling form. "This isn't going to help anything. In fact, it will just get you in trouble. Jason is already in trouble, right, Officer Jones?" The policeman in front of me nodded his head, glaring at Jason.

"Absolutely," he spat. "This boy has caused far too much trouble around here, and this was the last straw. He is banned from here for good." I calmed down a little bit.

Then I pivoted back towards Jason. "Why would you do that?" I snapped. "Why did you crash into him on purpose?"

"Because I'm sick of Austin getting what I want," he said, rolling his eyes. "I saw you at the diner, and thought maybe I could have a chance with you, a new girl who doesn't know anything about me. But, of course, Austin got to you first. He and I had a little disagreement before the race, and I promised him that I would wreck him on the track."

"Listen to me," I hissed, trying to take a step forward, but being restricted by Dez still. I sent him a look saying that I wasn't going to do anything, I just needed to say something. Dez nodded and released me, but stayed close in case I was lying, or in case Jason tried something. "Austin and I were best friends as kids. It's not like I just walked into town, and he swept me up before you could, I _know_ him. And for the record, if you hadn't done all this, I probably would've given you a chance. But you better stay away from Austin and I after this, because he's an amazing guy, and doesn't deserve some jealous idiot after him. I may be tiny, but I am also vicious, and I will make your life _miserable_ if you try to mess with Austin again."

"Okay," Jason said, his eyes wide. "I'll apologize to him, and after that, I won't do anything ever again." I could tell by the fear on his face that he was serious, and I shook my head, walking away.

"Damn," Dez said, his own eyes wide. "You're scary for being so small." I nodded my head, laughing. We made our way back over to the group, where Rosie was waiting with information.

"Okay, so they're already on the way to the hospital," she announced, pointing at the ambulance driving away. "They said that Austin isn't hurt too bad, just a broken arm, and possibly a concussion. We called his family, and they said that there was room for two more people to come to the hospital tonight, but that the rest of us would have to wait until he came home, so there aren't too many people. We all decided it should be you and Dez."

"Thanks," I exclaimed, running forward to give her a hug. "Come on Dez, we have to go." Dez nodded and ushered me off to his car in the parking lot, hopping in and driving to the nearest hospital.

When we got there, Mike, Mimi, and my dad were already waiting. Dez and I joined them, filling them in on what happened. "The doctors said he was unconcious when they got to him," Mimi said, wiping her eyes. "They said he probably isn't hurt too badly, but that they can't know for sure."

I wiped at my own eyes too, hugging everyone. We all prayed together, and two hours later, a doctor finally came out. "Are you guys Austin's family and friends?" he asked, his voice strained. We all nodded our heads, looking at him worriedly. "Would you please come with me?"

We all trailed behind him nervously, too afraid to ask questions. When we got to a room, he opened the door, ushering us inside. Austin was laying on the bed, looking pale, with tubes and wires connected to him. I almost thought he didn't make it, or that he was in a coma, but he lifted his hand and waved weakly. "Hey guys," he said quietly, smiling.

"Austin," I shouted, tears of happiness filling my eyes. "Thank goodness you're alright." The doctor explained to us that he had a broken arm and a cracked rib. He also has a small concussion, but not bad enough to where they had to induce a coma. He has to spend the night here, but he will be ready to go home tomorrow.

Everyone was super excited, hugging Austin carefully on his hospital bed, so we wouldn't hurt him even more. After a few minutes, Austin asked if everyone could give us a moment alone. I was confused, but our parents and Dez nodded with knowing looks, exiting the room.

"Austin, I was so worried," I said, wiping at my tear stained face.

"I'm a tough guy," Austin said, chuckling. He placed a hand over his ribs, wincing in pain. "Okay, so most of the time, I am." I giggled and sat in a chair beside the bed. "But I'm fine, really. Moriarte is just a jerk."

"I told him off," I said, laughing. "He looked terrified of me. I mean, come on, who gets scared of a girl my size?" Austin chuckled his agreement. "The police officer banned him from the Peak, and I told him never to mess with you again. I just feel terrible, because this was all my fault."

"How was it your fault?" Austin asked, taking my hand and playing with my fingers sleepily. "You didn't do anything. It isn't your fault that Moriarte is a douche and wanted to wreck me."

"No, but it's my fault that he got jealous," I said shedding a few more tears. Austin was hurt, and it's because of me. "And that means it's my fault you guys argued, and that he crashed into you."

"Als," Austin said, tilting my head up and locking my eyes with his. "Don't say that. Jason and I have disliked each other for years. This runs way deeper than before you came, so it's no biggie."

So, they have been arguing for years? That makes me feel better, but I was still the_ 'final straw'_. I shook my head sadly. "I'm still the worst," I said, sighing.

"Nope," Austin whispered, grinning. He took my hand and raised it to his lips, kissing it softly. "You're the best."

**(A/N - well? An unofficial date, dancing, and a kiss on the hand? I'd say that's pretty good so far. (; No worries, more will come in time! If you liked it, review! If you hated it, review. If you look up and see a monkey, you should probably get your eyes checked... and review! Thanks for reading!)**


	8. Chapter 8

**(A/N - here's the next chapter! This is kind of a fluffy filler, but I wanted to add a fluffy chapter before going into any more exciting things... and trust me... there will be exciting things happening. Anyway, enjoy!)**

_Dear Songbook,_

_The two weeks since I have arrived in North Carolina have been far greater than I ever would have expected. On my way up here, I was sure that this was going to be the worst summer of my life, but even though it has barely started, it's the best. The first few days may have been a bit rocky, especially with Austin's go-cart crash. Jason apologized to Austin one day, and we haven't heard from him since, which is good._

_Austin is healing pretty well, which is also great. He has a cast on his arm - yellow, of course. He tells me all the time that he isn't in much pain, but sometimes, I can see past the mask he puts up for people. Austin thinks he needs to be a strong, tough guy so others won't worry, but I have assured him that he doesn't need to put on an act for me. If he is in pain, I want to know, so I can help him._

_I have been having a lot of fun the past few days. Mimi took Molly and I on a huge shopping spree, insisting that I get some jeans and plaid, to adopt that country style. I ended up finding a lot of clothes that were both casual, but also my style, which is great. She acts like such a mother figure, which is nice. Mike and my father have taken me fishing at a nearby lake recently, and I ended up catching more than either of them. I have to admit, even though I'm not the outdoorsy type, it was really fun, and sometimes, I even head over to the lake on my own, early in the morning to fish._

_Austin's friends are warming up to me really nicely, and it turns out that Rosie and Jenna are amazing. They're really great friends to have, and I like being able to talk about girl things with them. Then, there is Dez, who is also great. He's such a wack job, but I also see his other side pretty often - the calm, sweet one. He's going to make some girl very happy one day._

_And then, there is Austin. We are tighter than ever before, and our friendship just continues to grow. We spend days writing songs in his music room, or doing fun things like swimming, riding horses, and watching movies. You can definitely tell that there is something else going on between us, I'm just not quite sure what it is. We are extremely flirty, and he always does sweet things, like paying for everything, or carrying something heavy for me - even with his cast. We always sit really close together, or have our arms around each other casually. And we lock eyes a lot - just smiling, not saying anything._

_I still remember the night he was in the hospital, when he kissed my hand. His lips on just that one casual part of my body sent electricity running through me - so much, that I can't imagine what it will be like if we ever kiss. Although we are really flirty, we aren't officially anything - I am still nervous, since I will be going back to Miami when August rolls around._

_Every time that Trish and I videochat, she urges me to do something, to make the first move. I'm really traditional when it comes to relationships, though. I mean, I'm all for women independance, but I think the guy should make the first move. And I know that Austin will - but he would also make sure it was okay with me first. And right now, it's not. I'm terrified that I will let myself fall, and that leaving would make me fall into depression or something._

_Rosie and Jenna support Austin and I as well. Rosie is always pointing out how cute we look, even when he is standing right there. I mean, I appreciate the attempts, but a littly subtlty would be appreciated. Dez seems to be urging Austin to make a first move also. Like, Austin will do something sweet or romantic, and Dez will give him props, saying that was a good move. It's actually kind of funny how obvious everyone is being - they think Austin and I don't know._

_Love, Ally_

* * *

"Ally-Gator, would you _please_ hurry up?" Austin asked, knocking on my bedroom door. I laughed and opened the door, letting him into my room as I finished putting things in my messanger bag for the day. "I honestly don't understand what takes you so long to get ready. You always look nice."

"I have been ready for twenty minutes," I smirked. "Way earlier than you at least. I was just writing in my songbook. So, what's _your_ excuse for taking so long?"

I reached up and ruffled his hair, messing it up. He playfully frowned and fixed it - leaving it just a bit messy, the way I like it. "Hey now," he retorted, chuckling. "Having a cast on is a pretty good excuse. It takes me twice as long as it should to get dressed."

"So, what was your excuse _before_ the cast?" I teased, dodging the pillow he chucked at my head. "Oh, I know, it's the hair." I tousled his hair once again. "You have like, an infatuation with it."

"That's funny," he said, teasing back. "Because you touch my hair way more than I do." I rolled my eyes and tossed a pillow back at Austin, hitting him in the head. "Sure," he laughed, pointing at his cast. "Just hurt the poor, injured boy even more."

This got another eye roll out of me, but it was all in good nature. "So," I said, as we walked downstairs and to his truck. "What's on the agenda for the day?" Austin and I have been spending a lot of days together, and we always have a good time. But he hasn't told me the plans for today.

"What agenda?" Austin asked, playing dumb. I shot him a look, since we are obviously doing something. Otherwise he wouldn't have asked me to spend the day with him.

"Austin, you know I don't like surprises," I warned.

"You'll like this one," he insisted, laughing at how annoyed I was getting. I couldn't stay annoyed for long, though. His bubbly attitude and adorable antics were too much to keep even a single ounce of annoyance in my body. I turned up the radio and we sang along, belting it out. I have also become far more confident singing in front of Austin the past few weeks.

I glanced around and realized that we were going to the park. He pulled into a parking lot and grabbed a basket from the backseat, as we walked towards a large grassy area. After we set up a blanket, Austin opened the basket to reveal a picnic lunch. "Oh, Austin, this is so nice," I said.

"Yeah, I'm a nice guy," Austin said, rolling his eyes. "But I didn't make the food myself - that was all my mom. I wanted to make it, but I also didn't want to poison you with my cooking, so..."

"It's the thought that counts," I laughed. Austin pulled out two chicken sandwiches, and a heated container of macaroni and cheese. He also pulled out chips, drinks, and pickles. "Pickles," I exclaimed, reaching for the jar.

Austin shook his head, grinning. "I really don't understand why you love pickles so much," Austin said. "My parents say you used to go around the house and eat them like candy."

"It's like you with pancakes," I pointed out, giggling. "If you can enjoy eating fluffy circles drenched in syrup, why can't I enjoy vinegar-soaked cucumbers?"

"Hey, sometimes the pancakes are different shapes," Austin joked. It's true, though. I remember at Christmas time, Mimi always made them into Christmas trees.

After all the food, Austin pulled out a plate of cookies. "Okay, but I did make these," Austin said, nodding his head. "They're my secret recipe from when I was five."

"Choco-chunks?" I asked excitedly, remembering the cookies very well. He made the recipe when we were younger, and Mimi used to help him, since we were children. But now, he probably makes them on his own, since he is old enough to use a stove. They were always so good.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm," Austin laughed, as I took a giant bite of one of the cookies. As usual, they were amazing. In fact, the entire meal was amazing.

"Now what are we doing?" I asked, excitedly. The days with Austin just continue to get more and more fun.

He layed down on the blanket, placing his arms behind his head. "This," he said, gazing up at the sky peacefully. I shot him a questioning look, and he grinned. "What, you don't like cloud watching anymore? You saw the craziest things when we were younger. I've been practicing."

"Of course I still love it," I exclaimed, laying down as well and pointing towards the sky. "A rabbit wearing a tutu."

"No, Ally," he teased. "It's obviously a t-rex walking on a tight-rope." I laughed and shot him a look. "Okay, okay, so maybe all I see is a big, white, puffy thing. I guess I could use more practice."

"Then it's a good thing that I'm here," I giggled. "You're looking at the queen of cloud watching." We sat there a bit longer, pointing out all the shapes around us. I found myself inching closer and closer to him on the blanket, my hand only centimeters away from his. At one point, in all the calmness, I dared to reach over the short distance, hoping to intertwine our fingers. Just my luck, I was on the side with his cast.

Austin must have noticed because he reached across his stomach with his far hand, and took my own far hand in his, lacing our fingers together. "Here," he chuckled lightly. Then he glanced over at me. "You okay with this?"

I blushed and nodded my head, smiling. Because we were both using the hand that was farther away, we had to sit so close that there was no room between us. I was curled up into Austin's side as we watched the sky, and the warmth that radiated from him made me feel all tingly inside.

I guess that this is as good a time as any to tell him how I feel. I was about to start, when I heard a voice call out from a few feet away. "Austin, Ally," they shouted. We both sat up to see Dez making his way towards us, walking a dog on a leash. "Hey, guys."

"Hey, Dez," I said, grumbling slightly. I finally worked up the nerves to tell Austin how I feel, and then Dez came by. But it is cool to see him, because Dez is a good friend. "What are you up to?"

"Just taking my kangaroo for a walk," Dez said, motioning towards the golden retriever at his feet. "Turns out I really did leave him in the refrigerator." I felt my eyes go wide, and Austin whispered that he would explain later. "What are you guys doing here? Are you on a date?"

"Uh," Austin stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced over at me. "I don't know, are we?" I shrugged my shoulders with a shy smile, not knowing what to say. "Yeah, I guess it kind of is."

"Oh," Dez said. "Well, I'll leave you guys to it, then. See you later." He waved happily and walked off, his dog following behind him.  
"Kangaroo?" I asked Austin, sure that my eyes were the size of dinner plates. "He thinks his dog is a kangaroo? And he keeps him in the refrigerator? What?"

Austin chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't understand how Dez's brain works," he admitted, shrugging. "The funny thing is, he is one of the smartest kids in our school. He gets the best grades, he is just... weird. And he doesn't actually keep his dog in the fridge. He calls his bathroom a refrigerator."

"If he calls the bathroom a refrigerator, do I even want to know where he uses the toilet?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Probably not," Austin responded, making us both go into a fit of giggles. After we both calmed down and it got quiet again, Austin turned towards me. "So... _is_ this a date?"

"Do you want it to be?" I asked cautiously. He nodded his head slowly, a smile spreading across his face. "Then I guess it is, because I want it to be one, too."

"Awesome," Austin grinned, taking my hand again and making up random shapes that he saw in the clouds. It turned out to be my favorite day in North Carolina so far. A peaceful, relaxing day with Austin. We aren't officially anything yet, but that was an official date, so maybe this summer romance will heat up soon, right? I am already dreading the day that I have to return to Miami.

**(A/N - well, that was the chapter! No worries, more exciting things will come soon... including a surprising twist, that I guarantee NONE of you will guess. (: Go ahead, try! Oh, and as usual, please review!)**


	9. Chapter 9

**(A/N - AHHH! I haven't updated this in a few days, so I apologize! Not only was I really into writing my other current story, "All These Cinderella Stories", but also, I was kind of stuck on this story. Like, I knew what I wanted to happen, but I didn't know how to lead up to it. So, yes, I was having a bit of a writer's block! D: it was my first one! But, I figured it out, even if it did take me a few days! I give you all full permission to kill me in my sleep... Although, you probably shouldn't, because who would continue the story? :D Enjoy!)**

_Dear Songbook,_

_Things have been amazing up here in Raleigh. I have been making so many new friends every time that Austin takes me to one of the hangouts for high school students. They're all so nice here - Mike calls it southern hospitality._

_I love staying with the Moons so much! I have been here nearly three weeks, and it makes me sad to think that my summer is almost halfway over. I truly never want to leave here. I have been getting to know Molly and Gracie a bit better. We have had a few girl days, when we all have tea parties, or allow Gracie to give us makeovers._

_And Austin and I have been going on a bunch of dates, ever since we called the trip to the park last week our first date. Yes, we call htem dates now. :D He's always so sweet, paying for everything, being a gentleman, and always doing something I want to do. We're still just best friends, though - best friends that go on dates._

_So, all in all, everything has been going pretty good here. I never want the summer to end, but I also can't wait to do more fun and exciting things here! Well, I got to go talk to Austin before he leaves. He is going to go play laser tag with Dez and a few of the guys today. He offered for me to come, but I'm not all that into sporty activities. Plus, I want him to have fun with his buds! So, goodbye!_

_Love, Ally_

"I'll see you later, Austin," I said as we walked out the front door onto his porch. He wrapped me in a large hug, and smiled at me. Suddenly, I heard the distant sound of hammering and power tools. "What is all that noise?"

"They're building a new house across the street," Austin said, rolling his eyes. I looked forward, and sure enough, there was a house in construction. Granted, the Moons have a large property, so it's not like they're too close, but Austin has never really had any neighbors. The closest thing that he has to a neighbor is another house about a half-mile down the road.

"Well, that's exciting," I said, smiling. "That means you'll have new neighbors in a few months. Maybe they'll have kids your age."

Austin shrugged. "Maybe," he said, smiling. "Or maybe, it will be some snooty old couple that never leaves the house." I laughed, and shook my head. "Well, I have to go see the guys. See you later, Als."

He grinned and hugged me again before walking down the driveway. "Have fun," I called out, smiling.

"Will do," he called back, waving as he got into the truck. He started to pull away, but rolled down his window at the last second. "I'm taking you somewhere tonight, so don't make plans, please." I nodded as he pulled off again, wondering what we could possibly be doing tonight.

I took a seat on the swinging bench, taking in everything around me. It was so peaceful here - the wind was blowing, the only noises were the rustle of leaves and the occasional sound from a small animal. Sure, I miss the beach a bit, but I don't miss the sound of Miami traffic.

I felt the swing get a bit heavier, and looked up to see my father taking a seat next to me. "Hey, Dad," I said, smiling at him. "What are you up to today?"

"Just relaxing," he said, beaming. "I wanted to come talk to you, but I feel like one of us is always busy. I saw you sitting out here, and thought now would be the perfect time to talk."

"Yeah, I have been hanging out with Austin and his friends a lot," I admitted. "And you and Mike are always off doing something. But, we're both having fun, you know? So, what did you want to talk about?"

"A few things, really," my father said, relaxing into the seat. "First, I wanted to ask you if your first opinion has changed about this place, yet. I know you were totally against coming at first, but how do you like it now?"

"I love it here," I admitted. "And I wish I hadn't stayed away for so long. This place, and all the people here are just truly great. I find myself having a blast every day, and I honestly wish I could never leave here."

"You never want to leave?" my dad asked, cocking his head to the side. I nodded. "Sorry, kiddo. But, that just means that you and I can come up here and visit much more often. Now that you know you actually like it here, we can visit all the time."

"That would be nice," I said, nodding my head. "And the Moons can come to Miami, right?"

"Absolutely," my father said, nodding. "But we're not going to worry about that right now - you still have five more weeks here. Speaking of Miami, that's another thing I wanted to talk to you about. Something came up at Sonic Boom, so I need to go home for a week and check it out."

"Is everything okay?" I asked, worried. "Do we need to go right now? Is it an emergency? I thought the Smiths were running it while we are away." The Smiths are the family that we left in charge of taking care of the store while we were gone for the summer.

"Ally, calm down," my father said, chuckling. "It's completely fine. The Smiths just have to go somewhere for a week, so I need to go run the store for a few days. You don't need to come, because I know how much you want to enjoy this place. I'll go, and then come back in a week."

"Okay, thanks, Dad," I said, sighing. "You're right, I didn't want to leave, yet. Plus, Austin said he had a bunch of fun things for us to do this week."

"Speaking of Austin," my dad said, his voice taking on a teasing tone. "What's going on there? Does my little Ally-Cat have a _boyfriend_?"

"Dad," I groaned, shaking my head. "We're best friends since forever, remember? I mean, we have been going on dates and stuff, and hold hands sometimes, and flirt a lot, and he's such a gentleman, and-" I trailed off, rambling on about Austin, until I noticed my father smirking. "Okay, so I really like him."

"Trust me, sweetie," he chuckled. "He likes you, too. Lord, is that boy not just head-over-heels for you. Soon enough, he'll be asking me to start courting you."

"Dad," I exclaimed, giggling. "You're starting to talk like Mike. And we're only sixteen, and we're not even dating! You really think he likes me?"

"I really do think so, Ally," my father said, nodding his head. "Everyone in the house thinks so. Heck, the entire town thinks so." He laughed, and I blushed, wondering if it was really that obvious. "Anyway, just tell that boy that when you two become a _thing_, he needs to come talk to me."

"Oh my gosh, Dad," I whined, blushing again. This wasn't a conversation most girls would have with their father, but he long ago had to try to pick up the position of a mother, also.

"Calm down, Ally," he said, laughing. Then he looked at me and smiled. "You're turning out so beautiful, sweetheart. And that was all your mother's doing - you sure didn't get your looks from me. I see so much of her in you."

"Thanks, Dad," I said, beaming as we did our handshake. "Boom," I said, as we bumped hips. He grinned and gave me a hug before walking back inside. I smiled, thinking about what all he said. He said that we could visit the Moons all the time. He said that he thinks Austin really likes me. And, he said that I remind him of my mother.

"I miss you Mom," I whispered up towards the sky. "I really hope that you're as proud of me as Dad is." I smiled up at the clouds, hoping that somewhere, she could hear me.

* * *

"Austin, could you please tell me what we're doing?" I asked him, following him up the stairs. After he got back from laser tag, he told me that we were leaving for our date after dinner tonight. Once again, it was a surprise.

"Nope," he said, grinning cheekily and flopping down onto my bed. "Austin," I groaned, partly because he was taking up all the room on my bed, and partly because I don't like surprises. "I need to know so that I can pick the right things to wear. If we're going somewhere nice, I want to dress fancy, but not too fancy, but I can't show up casually-"

"Okay, Ally," Austin exclaimed, jumping off the bed and laughing. "You talk so much." The sweet smile on his face told me that he didn't mind that I talked a lot.

"Everybody talks," I sang out in a joking manner. It was one of the lyrics from the song we wrote together during my first couple of days here. This caused Austin to grin as he turned back towards my dresser.

"Here, I'll just pick your clothes," he said, opening a few of my drawers. He pulled out a pair of jean shorts that ended mid-thigh. Then he grabbed a t-shirt. "Oh, and you probably need one of these, too." I glanced up to see that he was holding a bra between two fingers, examining it as if he had never seen one before. I know he has, though, because he does the laundry a lot, and has an older sister.

"Austin," I exclaimed, grabbing the bra from his hands as I felt a blush creep up my neck. "Don't go through my stuff."

"Sorry, Als," he said, winking. "Okay, you get dressed, and then come down for dinner, alright? It's in ten minutes." I nodded and he walked out the door, shutting it behind him. I quickly changed into the clothes that he picked out for me, throwing on a pair of tennis shoes, since the rest of the outfit seemed casual. I swear, if he takes me somwhere fancy, dressed like this, I'm going to be pretty upset. Who am I kidding? I wouldn't be upset, because I'd be with Austin.

I went downstairs for dinner, trying not to eat too fast. But, I was super excited, and knew that as soon as dinner was over, Austin and I were going on our date. As if he heard my thoughts, Austin grinned at me and took even smaller bites, eating as slow as possible. I nudged him with my elbow, causing him to laugh.

Everyone else at the table glanced our way, sharing knowing looks, which made me blush. Finally, the meal was over - another favorite, might I add. Mimi made tortellini alfredo with bacon bits. Austin and I waved goodbye to everyone, and he led me out to the truck. "Don't ask," Austin smiled, knowing I was going to ask where we were going.

I folded my arms and sighed, jokingly. "Fine," I grumbled. "Your surprises usually turn out well, anyway." He grinned at that and quickly drove towards our destination, as the sun quickly set, turning everything around us a darker color.

When Austin pulled off onto the side of the road, though, I got worried. "Okay, please tell me where we're going," I asked hopefully, shooting him a small smile.

He must have sensed my worry, because he reached over and squeezed my knee. "We're going fishing," he said, grinning. I grinned back, because he knows that I have been enjoying fishing lately - but I never get the chance to go with him.

"At night?" I asked, arching my eyebrows. "Where?" We hopped out of the truck, and Austin grabbed some fishing gear from the back. He led me a few feet into some trees, until I heard water. I looked up to see that there was a small waterfall going down a cascade of rocks, that flowed off into a stream.

"Yes, at night," Austin said, happily. "That's the best time to catch salmon, because the moon reflects well off their scales." He pointed towards the water, where, sure enough, you could see the bright white reflecting off the scales of the fish. After we both set up our poles, and baited the hooks, we began catching as many salmon as we could, making a competition out of it.

After an hour, I had seven, and Austin had five. "You're good," Austin said, nodding his head and smiling. He took the bucket of fish back to the truck, where he placed them in the cooler.

When he came back, I grinned. "That was definitely my favorite fishing trip so far," I said happily. He looked pleased and reached for my hand, intertwining our fingers.

We began walking along the side of the stream, in a comfortable silence. It was nice, walking hand in hand, with the only sound of running water. I felt a small tug on my hand, and glanced back to see that Austin had stopped walking, and was currently looking up at the stars. "You okay?" I asked, standing in front of him.

He grinned back down at me. "I'm better than okay," he said. "I had an amazing time tonight." I agreed, and we stood there for a few moments, watching each other. Finally, Austin spoke up, rubbing the back of his neck a bit. "Ally? Do you know how I feel about you?"

"I think I have a pretty good idea," I said shyly. "But, how _do_ you feel about me?"

"Well, I'm not very good at forming my expressions into words," Austin said quietly. "So, I'll just show you, if that's alright." He looked at me for confirmation, and even though I didn't know what he was talking about, I nodded.

He smiled and placed his hands gently at my waist, before leaning down and pressing his lips softly against mine. I didn't even hesitate before wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing back. It was soft, sweet, slow, and in all seriousness, _perfect_.

I felt my knees go weak, and leaned into him a bit more, but Austin just pulled me closer. After a few moments, we broke away, slightly short of breath. "Wow," I whispered, smiling as Austin pressed his forehead to mine.

"I know," he said, grinning. "I have been waiting to do that since the moment you got here." We both grinned before he leaned back down and kissed my cheek quickly. As we both walked back to the truck, I replayed the moment in my mind.

Sure, we both smell like funny, and are both probably covered in fish. And yet, that was easily the most romantic moment of my life, and the best one of the summer, so far.

**(A/N - okay, so yeah! WOOO! a kiss - let's see how that affects the next chapter! Also, the conversation that Ally had with her dad holds quite a bit more importance than you may think! And I apologize again for not updating in a few days! But, I rewarded you with a bit of Auslly, so, no hard feelings, right? Leave me a review!)**


	10. Chapter 10

**(A/N - hey guys! Sorry it's been a few days! DARN YOU, WRITER'S BLOCK. But, I think I'm over it, because I know exactly where this is going now. Thank you to everyone who gave me tips and ideas, because they were insanely helpful! I tried to incorporate a bit of everyone's ideas, so I hope you like it!)**

"Good morning, Ally," I heard a voice say happily as soon as I woke up. I glanced up to see Gracie perched on the end of my bed, watching me. She grinned and waved at me.

"Hey, Gracie," I said, sitting up and giving her a sleepy smile. "What are you doing in here?"

"Austin told me to come wake you up for breakfast," she explained, pointing towards the door. "Austin and Mom made a giant buffet of breakfast, and they wanted me to come tell you.

"Oh, thanks," I said, standing up and stretching. "Wait, when did they send you up here?"

"Uh, ten minutes ago," she said, scrunching up her face as she thought. I asked her why she waited so long to wake me, and a big toothy grin appeared on her face. "You were talking in your sleep, so I wanted to hear what you were saying. You kept mentioning Austin."

"Oh," I said, feeling a blush come to my cheeks. "Well, let's just keep that to ourselves, okay, Gracie? Thanks for waking me up, I'll be downstairs in a few minutes." She exited the room, giggling, and I quickly got dressed and ran a brush through my hair. I was slightly anxious for the day, because Austin and I kissed last night, and I wasn't sure if we would talk about it or not.

When I finally got downstairs, I was hit with a ton of amazing smells - eggs, bacon, toast, and of course, pancakes and syrup. "Good morning," I exclaimed, rushing over to take a seat at the table. "How did everyone sleep?"

Austin pulled out the chair next to me and sat in it, smiling. "Very well," Mimi said cheerfully. "And how did you sleep? It seems like Gracie might have failed a bit in her mission to bring you down for breakfast."

I laughed. "Well, she got me down here eventually," I explained. "But, apparently, she sat on the edge of my bed for ten minutes, watching me, before thinking about waking me up."  
"Hey," Gracie exclaimed defensively, giggling. "I was listening to her talk in her sleep. Ally says really great things, and she mentions Austin a lot." I blushed, while Mimi chuckled. Austin just grinned from beside me, nudging my leg a bit with his.

"Okay, so, Mike is at work," Mimi said. "Lester took off early this morning for Miami, but will be back in a few days. And I am off today, and all four of you kids will be here. So, I was thinking we could just have a fun day around the house?"

"Sounds good," we all agreed, quickly eating the large breakfast. Everything was so good, and I honestly thought that I was going to explode from all the things that I ate.

"How does someone so tiny eat so much?" Austin teased, shaking his head. I stuck my tongue out at him and swatted at his arm playfully.

"Okay, so how about we all come down in like, an hour to play games, or watch a movie," Mimi suggested. "Until then, you all can do whatever you want. Sound good?" Everyone agreed, and I looked to Austin, who motioned for me to follow him to the backyard.

We walked out to the stable in a comfortable silence, and he saddled up Chestnut and Scarlett. "Take your pick," he said, gesturing towards them. I happily climbed on top of Chestnut, who was a bit smaller than Scarlett, which would be easier for me since I'm pretty small. Austin swung himself up onto Scarlett, and they both started walking slowly around the property, side by side. "So," Austin finally said, smiling at me a bit nervously. "You knew that we were going to have to talk about this, right?"

"I kind of figured," I said, laughing quietly. This conversation is either going to be really easy, or really awkward.

"Well," Austin said, slowly. "You know how I feel about you - I feel that I conveyed it pretty well with that kiss last night. But, I still don't know how _you_ feel about _me_. I mean, I kind of got an idea, from how you kissed back. But I want to know for sure." He winked playfully, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Austin, I like you," I said with ease. It was easy to say, because we were always so close - it's almost like we were kids again, when we could say absolutely anything. "_A lot_."

"Good," he said, grinning. "Because I like you a lot, too." We both smiled at each other, bouncing up and down slightly on the horses. "That only leaves one other thing to talk about. What does this make us?"

"See, that's the problem," I sighed. "Although I like you a lot, and would love to have a relationship with you, I'm going back to Miami at the end of the summer. I'm totally all for trying a long-distance relationship, because our families see each other a lot throughout the year. But, I think it would be weird going from being with you every single day, to only seeing you a few times a year."

"That's what I was thinking," Austin said, his shoulders slumping a bit. We put Scarlett and Chestnut back in their stalls, and walked towards his house, thinking. Just outside the back door, Austin stopped, smiling. "How about this? We don't need a title for now, and we don't need a plan. We can just live the rest of this summer doing whatever feels right, and when it comes time for you to leave, we can decide what to do. But, until then, let's just have fun."

"That sounds great," I said, nodding my head. "You're right, let's just have fun and do whatever feels right."

"Do you know what I think would feel right at the moment?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and smiling. I shook my head, even though I had a pretty good idea. Austin took a step towards me, placing his hands at my waist, while I wrapped mine around his neck. A few seconds later, our lips were connected gently, and I could feel his grin widen in the kiss.

"What?" a voice asked happily from behind us. Austin and I pulled apart to find Mimi standing at the back door, a huge smile on her face. "Well, I was just coming out to ask if you guys are ready to play a game, but, uh - I can see that you're busy, so- yeah." With that, she rushed back inside.

I smiled over at Austin, and we both began cracking up. "Well, that was awkward," he said, shrugging. "Let's go inside." He put an arm around my shoulders and we walked inside, to see Molly, Gracie, and Mimi crowded around the table, setting up a game of UNO.

Molly whistled, wiggling her eyebrows. "Shh," Mimi said, laughing. Obviously she told them about what she just saw. "So, did you guys have a good time out on the horses?"

"We had a great time, Mom," Austin said, smiling. I agreed, and we both took seats for the game. "And you know that you don't have to act like you didn't see us, right?"

Mimi suddenly grinned. "Okay, good," she said happily, practically bouncing in her seat. "Can I just say that we have been betting on this since you two were little? Was that the first time you guys kissed? Are you guys dating now? Oh my goodness, you are _too cute_."

"Actually, Mom," Austin said, chuckling at how many questions she was asking. "Let's just go back to pretending you didn't see anything." Mimi rolled her eyes and we all began playing UNO. I won the first two games, then Mimi won. Molly smoked everyone in the fourth round, and even Gracie won in the fifth. "You're kidding, right?" Austin groaned, since he was the only person who hadn't won a game yet.

"You're so competitive," I said, smiling over at him. We ended up playing a few more rounds, until Austin finally won, declaring that it was okay to stop now.

"Austin, can you go pick up some stuff from the store for me?" Mimi asked, handing him a list. He nodded and gave me a quick hug and peck on the cheek before walking out the door. As soon as the door clicked shut, I felt like a gazelle, being preyed on by lions.  
Mimi, Molly, and Gracie all ran over, crowding around me.

"Okay, spill," Molly said, giggling. "Obviously we aren't going to get any information out of Austin." I laughed, because it was true.

"Well," I said, smiling. "First, you should know that we aren't dating - we're not labeling it."

"You mean like, friends with benefits?" Mimi asked, scrunching her eyebrows together. "Or an open relationship?"

"Well, no," I explained. "We both really like each other and want a relationship, but we think it would be too hard to end when I go back to Miami at the end of the summer. We suggested long-distance, since our families will come together pretty often. But, then we decided to just not waste time worrying about it. We're just going to enjoy the summer together, do what feels right, and then figure out what to do when the time comes."

"Ah, that makes sense," Molly said, nodding her head. "Okay, so when did you guys first kiss?"

I giggled, as this almost felt like a crime show - they were interrogating me. "Last night," I said, smiling at the memory. "We went fishing down by some stream, and after catching a bunch of salmon, we started walking together down the edge, holding hands. He asked me if I knew how he felt about me, and said that he was never good at putting his emotions into words. So, he kissed me."

"Awww," they all said in unison, grinning widely. "That's so adorable." I agreed, because it _was_ pretty sweet. I have been replaying it in my mind over and over again.

"Oh, so that's what you were talking about while you were sleeping," Gracie exclaimed. "So, making out is when you do something fun outside, right? Like fishing?"

My eyes widened, and I heard Molly and Mimi trying to stifle their giggles. "Um, right," I stammered, not wanting to explain the concept of making out to an eight year-old. "That's what it is."

"Oh, well I'm going to make out now," she said excitedly, running towards the backyard. "See you guys later." As soon as the door shut, Mimi and Molly erupted into laughter, while I turned bright red.

"You guys made out?" Mimi asked, raising her eyebrows. I shook my head, because we hadn't.

"So, you just wanted to," Molly said, wiggling her eyebrows at me and making a kissy face. "You obviously did, because you were talking about it in your sleep."

I felt my blush get even deeper. "This doesn't leave the room," I said quietly, before erupting into my own giggles. "Austin doesn't need to know about that."

"It's all good," Molly said, giving me a knowing smile. "Your secrets are safe with us. We're just happy that you and Austin are finally together. The bet had kind of faded away the past few years, but the second you got here and we saw how Austin looked at you, we all knew it would happen."

"Austin had the biggest crush on you when you guys were younger," Mimi said, smiling at the memories. "We always teased him that you guys would get married, since every time our families got together, you two were inseperable."

"Stuck like glue," I mused, smiling.

"Exactly," Mimi said, nodding her head. "And oh boy, when you turned thirteen, and the pictures Lester sent us got even prettier - Austin just didn't know what to do with himself. I think he has some pictures of you up on his photo wall in his room. You can always sneak in there if you'd like, and take a peek."

"I might just do that," I laughed, standing up. "Thanks for being so awesome." I gave them both hugs, because Mimi really was like a mother to me, and Molly was basically an older sister. I dashed upstairs and let myself into Austin's room. There was a large cork board on one wall, covered in pictures.

There were pictures of the Moons, pictures of friends like Dez and Rosie, and pictures of all the horses and dogs. I saw a few pictures of me from over the years, and even some of Austin and I when we were kids. But there was one picture that stood out to me, among the rest. In the very center of the board was a picture of Austin and I riding Scarlett together, during my first few days here.

I was sitting at the front of the saddle, reigns in hand, while Austin was sitting close behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist so that he wouldn't fall off. My head was thrown back in laughter, and Austin was pouting playfully, a smile playing at the edge of his lips - it was just after my ponytail whacked him in the face. I could see that the picture was taken through the glass of a window, and could just barely see the reflection of Mimi and the camera in the glass.

"That's my favorite, too," a voice said from behind me. Austin just got home from the store, and now had his arms wrapped around me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder.

"It describes us pretty well," I said, putting my hands over his and lightly tracing circles with my thumb onto the arm that wasn't covered by a cast. He nodded, and spun me around to face him, all while keeping his arms around my waist.

"It sure does," he grinned, leaning down to kiss me quickly. When he pulled away, he pointed at another picture on the board. We were about eight in the picture, hugging proudly next to a snowman that we built. "That's the year that we tried to send snow home in your suitcase."

I cracked up at the memory. "We always were pretty close," I said, smiling at all the pictures of us. In every single one, we were hugging or smiling together. There was even one of us as babies, sitting in diapers next to each other. "_Woah-oh, woah-oh, stuck like glue,_" I sang out, making up words as I went along. "_You and me, baby, we're stuck like glue_."

"What was that?" Austin asked, grinning. "That was really good. You should make a whole song out of that."

"_Or_, you could help me write a song out of that," I suggested, wanting to spend more time with him. He happily agreed and we walked over to the music room, ready to write another song together.

**(A/N - Ta-da! Writer's block, you have been conquered. Thanks for all the help, guys! As you can probably tell from the last few lines, "Stuck like Glue" will be in a future chapter. When you see it, just know that I don't own the song - Sugarland does! But, I will probably forget to say it later, so I'm saying it now... Anyways, what did you guys think? Let me know in a review! And no worries, I won't make you wait too long for another chapter. (: Okay, review as if your life depends on it!)**


	11. Chapter 11

**(A/N - hey guys! Here's the next chapter! I would have updated earlier, but I was having car troubles. -_- I got stuck waiting two hours for a jump from somebody, and when they got there, it turns out that wasn't even the problem! I had to get towed, and it ended up taking a few hours, so that's why I didn't post! :P haha, but here it is! enjoy!)**

"Austin, that's it," I exclaimed happily, writing down the last few lyrics of our song in my book. "You're a genius."

"Not really," Austin laughed, shaking his head. He peered over my shoulder at the lyrics that we have been writing, humming along. "To be honest, I can only write when I'm with you. If I try any other time, it ends up sounding stupid." I grinned at him, glad that I was an inspiration for his music.

We have spent the past week writing a song - a little bit each day, throughout our goofing off. We always go on dates, or do things around the house, like horseback riding, playing games, or writing the song. We just finished it, and I motioned for Austin to grab a guitar, while I grabbed one of the electric keyboards. "Here, let's sing it," I said, beaming.

_Absolutely no one who knows me better _  
_No one that can make me feel so good _  
_How did we stay so long together?_  
_Everybody, everybody said we never would_

_And just when I _  
_Start to think they're right _  
_The love has died_

_There you go making my heart beat again _  
_Heart beat again, heart beat again _  
_There you go making me feel like a kid _  
_Won't you do it, do it one time?_

_There you go pulling me right back in _  
_Right back in, right back in _  
_And I know _  
_I'm never letting this go _  
_I'm stuck on you_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, stuck like glue _  
_You and me baby, we're stuck like glue _  
_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, stuck like glue _  
_You and me baby, we're stuck like glue_

_Some days I don't feel like trying _  
_Some days you know I wanna just give up_

_When it doesn't matter who's right _  
_Fight about it all night _  
_Had enough, you give me that look _  
_I'm sorry baby let's make up_

_You do that thing that makes me laugh _  
_And just like that_

_There you go making my heart beat again _  
_Heart beat again, heart beat again _  
_There you go making me feel like a kid _  
_Won't you do it, do it one time?_

_There you go pulling me right back in _  
_Right back in, right back in _  
_And I know _  
_I'm never letting this go _  
_I'm stuck on you_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, stuck like glue _  
_You and me baby, we're stuck like glue _  
_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, stuck like glue _  
_You and me baby, we're stuck like glue_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, you almost stay out _  
_Two stuck together from the ATL out _  
_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, feelin' kinda sick _  
_Just a spoon full of sugar make it better real quick_

_I say, whoa-oh, whoa-oh, whatcha gonna do with that?_  
_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, come on over here with that _  
_Sugar sticky sweet stuff, come and give me that stuff _  
_Everybody want some_

_Melodies that get stuck up in your head _  
_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, up in your head _  
_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, up in your head _  
_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, up in your head_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh _  
_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh _  
_Stuck like glue _  
_You and me together, say it's all I wanna do_

_I said there you go making my heart beat again _  
_Heart beat again, heart beat again _  
_There you go making me feel like a kid _  
_Won't you do it, do it one time?_

_There you go pulling me right back in _  
_Right back in, right back in _  
_And I know I'm never letting this go_

_There you go making my heart beat again_  
_Heart beat again, heart beat again _  
_There you go making me feel like a kid _  
_Won't you do it, do it one time?_

_There you go pulling me right back in _  
_Right back in, right back in _  
_And I know _  
_I'm never letting this go _  
_I'm stuck on you_

_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, stuck like glue _  
_You and me baby, we're stuck like glue _  
_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, stuck like glue _  
_You and me baby, we're stuck like glue _  
_Whoa-oh, whoa-oh, stuck like glue _  
_You and me baby, we're stuck like glue **(1)**_

Austin and I switched off each verse, and we sang every chorus together. It was upbeat, and a little more country than anything I have ever written, but I liked it. "That was awesome," Austin exclaimed, standing up. I stood up too, and we shared a quick kiss.

"Yeah, it was," I grinned, pulling him into a quick hug. I heard someone call my name from downstairs, and gasped.

"Ally, your dad is back," Austin exclaimed happily, taking my hand in his and intertwining our fingers. "Come on!" We ran down the stairs, to see my father standing in the doorway, a huge grin on his face. "Hey, Lester."

"Hey, guys," he exclaimed, hugging us both quickly. Then, he looked at me. "Ally, the ride down to Miami without you was horrible. It was so quiet, and I just didn't know what to do with myself."

"Sorry, Dad," I said, giving him an apologetic smile. "Wait, only the ride to Miami was bad? What about the one back here?" My father grinned and swung the front door open, where I saw my best friend from Miami. "Trish," I exclaimed, running towards her for a hug. "I have missed you so much. What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit for the rest of the summer," she said, beaming. "Your father asked the Moons if I could come, and they said they would love to have me. It's amazing here."

"That's awesome," I said, looking over to Mike and Mimi, who were both grinning. I ran over to them and pulled them both into hugs. "Thank you guys so much. You're the greatest."

"It was no problem at all," Mimi said, waving it off. "We know how much you love it here, but we thought you might also be getting a bit homesick. When Lester went back to tend to Sonic Boom, he picked up Trish, and brought her back."

"This is so cool," I exclaimed, still super excited. Then, I grabbed Austin's hand and pulled him over to Trish. "Trish, you remember Austin. And Austin, this is Trish, my best friend from Miami."

"Yeah, I remember," Austin said, a chuckle escaping from his lips. "Remember the time with the snow cone-"

"Don't talk about it," Trish said, shaking her head violently. "Anyways, it's great to see you again. Ally was right, you did get pretty cute." Austin grinned down at me, while I blushed.

"So," my father said, glancing at my fingers, which were intertwined with Austin's. "What exactly happened while I was gone?"

"Oh, right," I said awkwardly, biting my lip. I remembered my conversation with my father just before he left. "Uh, Austin, you and my father need to have a conversation - or something."

Mike and Mimi burst out laughing, while my dad put on his best protective father face - which was funny, because he is a bit goofy.

Austin's eyes widened, which only made everyone laugh more. "I promise, sir," he rushed. "I won't do anything to hurt Ally, and-"

"Austin, calm down," my dad said, laughing and clapping a hand onto his shoulder. "I'm just messing around. I've known you since you were born - _literally_. I was in the hospital when your mom gave birth to you. I know you really care about Ally, but what fun is it if I can't rattle your cage every once in a while?" Austin visibly relaxed, thanking him. "Oh, and you don't have to start calling me sir, just because you and Ally have a thing. Please call me Lester, still."

"Will do, Lester," Austin said, back to his normal self. "Ally, you should go show Trish up to your room. I'll grab one of the extra mattresses that we keep. You'll be fine with her staying in there, right?"

"Yeah," I exclaimed, motioning for Trish to follow me. "The room is huge, there's plenty of space for both of us." He nodded and went to grab the mattress, while Trish and I ran up the stairs with her bags. I helped her unpack, and made some room for her stuff in my dresser and closet. Trust me - it wasn't easy. Trish is the kind of girl who overpacks. But, we managed.

Eventually, Austin came in carrying the extra mattress, and set it on a huge open spot on the floor. It was a little crooked, so I tried pushing it, but it was way heavier than it looked. "How did you make that look so light?" I grunted, trying to straighten out the bed. Austin gently pushed on it, sliding it into place.

I flopped backwards onto the mattress, out of breath, and feeling weak. "Welcome to the gun show," Austin joked, flexing his muscles. As if to prove that point more, he carefully lifted me up, draping me over his shoulders.

"Austin, put me down," I said, beating on his back playfully. I tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but that only made him hold onto me tighter. Not that I mind.

"Not until you say," he said, thinking. "That Austin is the coolest, funniest, cutest, and most talented guy ever." I giggled, because he would do something like that.

I protested a few times, but it was clear that I wouldn't be put down until I said it. "Fine," I said, meaning every word that I said. "Austin is the coolest, funniest, cutest, sweetest, most talented guy ever."

Austin set me back on my feet, and grinned. "Sweetest?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't make you say that."

"You didn't have to," I said, smiling back. Trish cleared her throat, smiling. I blushed, actually forgetting that she had been standing there the whole time.

"I'm going to go get some sheets and pillows for the mattress," Austin said, heading out of the room. As soon as he was gone, Trish turned towards me, a huge grin on her face.

"Oh my gosh," she said, excitedly. "You two are way more serious than you made it sound. I thought you said it was just a summer romance? That you weren't going to fall too hard?" I had video-chatted her earlier this week, explaining my situation with Austin.

"We aren't _that_ serious," I said, trying to convince myself almost as much as I was convincing her. "It is just a summer thing - for now, at least. We don't know what we will do when I have to go back to Miami, but we're not worrying about it right now. I haven't fallen too hard, and I don't plan on it."

Trish shot me a knowing smile, as Austin walked back in with things to make Trish's bed. He handed them to her, and she thanked him. Austin and I walked downstairs to help with dinner, while Trish made her bed, but he stopped me at the top of the staircase.

"By the way," he whispered, smiling shyly. "I think that you're the coolest, funniest, sweetest, most talented, and most _beautiful_ girl ever." I felt my heart melt a little bit, and quickly wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him in for a deep kiss. I'm not falling too hard, right?

**(A/N - ta-da! There's the chapter! :D woop woop, the writer's block is gone! Review with what you thought! Who was surprised by Trish? expect more surprises in the future!)**

**1) Stuck Like Glue - Sugarland! (Imagine this with a slightly less country vibe, and imagine that Austin and Ally switch off on the verses! I know you guys can do it... Your imaginations rock!)  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**(A/N - new chapter! (: Enjoy!)**

I woke up the next morning, rolling my eyes when I heard Trish's quiet snoring. I have gotten used to it by now, after sleeping her house many times. She swears that she doesn't snore, and no matter how much I try to prove her otherwise, she doesn't believe me.

I wondered what we would be doing today, when a sudden thought struck me. Now that Trish is here, I probably won't get as much time with Austin - but, I don't really mind. I have missed her so much over the past month, even if I have been enjoying myself. And sure, I love hanging out with Austin - who wouldn't? But, this could also help me not get too attached to him the rest of the summer. I still want to go on dates and stuff, but I'm glad that Trish will be included in many of our plans.

My bedroom door swung open slowly, and Austin peeked in, to check if we were awake. When his gaze met mine, he grinned, motioning for me to come into the hallway. I did, quietly tip-toeing around Trish's mattress, before quietly shutting the door behind me. "Good morning," I whispered, smiling brightly. I have never been much of a morning person, but Austin has changed that.

"Morning," he said, giving me a quick peck on the cheek. "I was just checking if you are awake - and since you are, would you do me the honor of an early morning horseback ride?" He gave me a cute smile, and I nodded my head.

"Totally," I said. "Just let me change, and I'll meet you down at the stable." He nodded, waving happily before heading downstairs. I slipped back into my room, and changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, being careful to not wake Trish. In five minutes, I was ready and out the door, jogging over to the barn.

When I got there, Austin only had Scarlett saddled up, and motioned for me to climb on. "What about Chestnut?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh, she's still asleep," he said. I heard moving around in Chestnut's stall, and saw her standing there, gazing at me. I shot Austin a pointed look, and he gave me a small smile. "Okay, so maybe I just wanted to ride with you. Is that alright?"

"Sounds good," I teased, hoisting myself up onto Scarlett. He climbed up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "But, you know that if you really wanted to, you could have just asked."

"I know," he laughed, kissing the top of my head. Scarlett led us around the property a few times, with Austin and I laughing the entire time, remembering not only memories from the past month, but also from our childhood.

"So, what's the plan for today?" I asked Austin as we both slid off of Scarlett, him catching me in his arms so that I wouldn't fall.

"Actually, a few of the guys wanted to hang out today," he said, biting his lip nervously. "I was thinking that since Trish is here, you two could hang out for the day, and I could go chill with my buds. But, if you don't want me to, that's okay, I'll-"

"Austin," I said, cutting him off and giggling. "Don't worry about it. Go and have fun, we spend a lot of time together. Trish and I can have a girl's day today. It's all good."

"Are you sure?" he asked, glancing down at me. "I mean, I can tell them that I have plans if you want me to stay with you-" I cut him off, this time by kissing him. "Was that a way to tell me to shut up?"

"Yep," I teased. "Did it work?" He nodded, making me laugh. "Seriously, go have fun! You need a guy's day every once in a while."

"Thanks Als," he said, smiling widely. Then, his smile turned into a playful smirk. "You know, I'm feeling kind of talkative again - perhaps you need to tell me to shut up?"

"Okay," I said, a smirk growing on my own face. "Shut up." Austin playfully pouted, saying that isn't what he meant. "I know what you mean." I leaned up and kissed him once again, this time much longer. "Feeling quiet now?"

"I guess," he said, shrugging his shoulders and grinning. He took my hand in his and intertwined our fingers as we made our way back to the house. "But, if that's how you're always going to shut me up, I'll make sure to talk a lot more in the future."

I shoved him playfully, rolling my eyes, but laughing. He laughed too, and we walked back into the house. "I'll see you tonight," Austin said, giving me a quick kiss before grabbing a basketball and leaving the house.

"Ally," Molly said a few minutes later, coming down the stairs. "Want to have a girl's day? I can take you, Gracie, and your friend Trish, shopping."

I grinned. "That sounds awesome," I said. "And Trish is going to love you - she shops way too much for her own good."

"Then this will be the start of a beautiful friendship," Molly said, grinning before running upstairs to wake Gracie. I walked into my own room, to wake Trish.

"Trish," I said, shaking her to get her to wake up. She just groaned in response, so I ripped the covers off her. She didn't move. "Trish," I shouted, getting frustrated. She just picked up her pillow and whacked me in the face with it. "Alright, fine," I teased. "I guess I'll just have to go _shopping_without you."

At this, she sat up straight in bed. "Shopping?" she asked, a huge grin appearing on her face. I nodded and she was up in a flash, getting dressed and ready in less than ten minutes. We walked downstairs, where Molly and Gracie were waiting. "Let's go," Trish exclaimed, grinning.

She hopped into the front seat with Molly, chatting away about their favorite stores, while Gracie and I got in the back seat. "Do you like shopping?" Gracie whispered.

"Yeah," I said, giggling quietly. "I'm just not as crazy about it as those two. What about you? Do you like shopping?"

"It's fun," she said, nodding her head. "I really like your clothes. Can you help me find stuff like that in my size?" I told her that I would love to help her. "You're so nice," she exclaimed, reaching over to hug me. "I see why Austin loves you so much."

Even though those words came from an eight year old, who probably knows nothing about love, it still made my breath catch in my chest. What if Austin really did love me? What if I love him? I shook my head, not wanting to think about things like that. This summer is supposed to be fun, and I can't get distracted by thoughts of being in love.

I realized that I had spaced out much longer than I thought, and we were already at the mall. "What store should we go to first?" I asked.

"Forever 21," Molly and Trish shouted in unison, making a beeline for the store.

"We'll meet you guys later," I called after them, happy that they are becoming friends quickly. "They should open a store next to Forever 21 called Finally 22," I joked, and Gracie giggled. "Come on, let's go find you something."

I took Gracie to a little children's boutique, and used one of Mimi's credit cards to buy her some floral dresses and vests - my style. I even bought her a little pair of brown ankle boots. "Thanks, Ally," she exclaimed. "Ooh, I see Molly and Trish."

We walked over to where they were sitting, at a food court table, surrounded my bags. "We're done shopping," Molly said, as if she was exhausted. "Thanks for taking Gracie. Those clothes look cute."

Then, Trish looked at my absence of bags. "Ally, why didn't you get anything?" she asked, practically screaming.

"I don't need more clothes," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "I already have way more clothes than when I first got here."

"Clothes from Austin's closet don't count," Trish joked, making Molly laugh.

"Shut up," I hissed, feeling my face turn bright red. "I don't have his clothes - okay, I have one of his hoodies, but that's all. I meant that I have been shopping a lot since I came here."

"Oh, calm down," Molly smiled, done with the teasing. "We were just messing around, we know that you and Austin wouldn't do anything like that." Gracie looked confused, and I prayed she wouldn't ask any questions - Austin and I aren't like that, we're good kids. "But, we still need to take you shopping. There is this huge festival towards the end of the summer, which pretty much the whole town goes to. There's singing, dancing, food, games - and you need something new, to impress Austin."

Oh, I guess the teasing _isn't_ over - it never will be. I just rolled my eyes, and agreed, letting them drag me off towards a vintage shop. An hour later, I had found a red and yellow plaid dress - it was my usual style, mixed with the southern patterns that I have developed while in North Carolina.

"Oh, Austin is going to love that," Molly squealed, nodding her head approvingly. "Don't show him until the night of the festival - which he is probably going to end up asking you to, by the way."

After paying for the dress and grabbing all our bags, we made our way back home. Molly then took Gracie to a friend's house, while Trish went upstairs to take a nap, probably still tired from the drive up here - I'm sure my father talked her ear off.

I grabbed my songbook and sat on the front porch swing, crossing my legs and gazing out at the large yard, looking for inspiration. Instead of being annoying, the construction noises from across the street were just faded into the background. They were nearly finished with the new house, and I hope somebody moves in soon, before I leave - I want to see what kind of people move in.

Finally, feeling inspired, I started writing away in my journal. About two hours later, I had come up with a complete song.

_When she was just a girl _  
_She expected the world _  
_But it flew away from her reach _  
_So she ran away in her sleep _  
_Dreamed of para- para- paradise _  
_Para- para- paradise _  
_Para- para- paradise _  
_Every time she closed her eyes _  
_Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh_

_When she was just a girl _  
_She expected the world _  
_But it flew away from her reach _  
_And the bullets catch in her teeth_

_Life goes on _  
_It gets so heavy _  
_The wheel breaks the butterfly _  
_Every tear, a waterfall _  
_In the night, the stormy night _  
_She closed her eyes _  
_In the night, the stormy night _  
_Away she'd fly._

_And dreamed of para- para- paradise _  
_Para- para- paradise _  
_Para- para- paradise _  
_Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh_

_She dreamed of para- para- paradise _  
_Para- para- paradise _  
_Para- para- paradise _  
_Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh._

_La la la La La la la_

_So lying underneath those stormy skies._  
_She said oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh._  
_I know the sun must set to rise._

_This could be para- para- paradise _  
_Para- para- paradise _  
_This could be para- para- paradise _  
_Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh._

_This could be para- para- paradise _  
_Para- para- paradise _  
_Could be para- para- paradise _  
_Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh._

_This could be para- para- paradise _  
_Para- para- paradise _  
_Could be para- para- paradise _  
_Whoa-oh-oh oh-oooh oh-oh-oh._

_Oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo _  
_Oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo _**(1)**

I was singing quietly, nodding my head, and smiled to myself when I was done. "That was great," a voice said. I gasped and looked to my right, seeing Austin sitting next to me on the swing.

"When did you sit down?" I asked, wide-eyed. I hadn't felt the weight shift, or heard him come home. I also glanced around to see that the sun had already set - man, I was in my own little world.

"About ten minutes ago," he said, smiling and shrugging his shoulders. "You just didn't notice."

"Sorry," I said, biting my lip and blushing. "Writing songs puts me in a bit of a trance. I guess I'm in my own little world when I write."

"I know," Austin said, chuckling lightly. He leaned down to kiss me gently, then pulled back, smiling. "It's one of the reasons that I love you." My eyes widened at his words, and a few seconds later, his did too.

**(A/N - wooop, cliffy! Sorry, hadn't done one in a while! :D Thanks for reading, and as usual, REVIEW!)**

**1) Paradise - Coldplay**

**Interesting factoid about me, that nobody actually cares about - While writing/reading, I always use a British accent. Every time that I write a chapter or read something, I do it in an accent - you should try it, it makes things fun! :D **

**AND OHMYGOSH... I died from excitement earlier today. OfficialR5 followed me on Twitter! EEEP. fan-girl overload.**


	13. Chapter 13

**(A/N - I officially give you all permission to hate me... A whole week without an update? And on a cliffhanger! But, I'll explain why at the end of the chapter! Here it is!)**

"You what?" I asked quietly, unsure if I heard him correctly. To me, it sounded like Austin just said that he loved me. But that's crazy, right? I glanced up to see Austin's eyes darting around worriedly, looking at everything but me.

I could tell that he didn't say that on purpose - which meant he means it, and didn't just say it. Finally, he took a deep breath and looked up at me. "Ally, I said that I love you," he said, smiling wearily at me. I felt my heart skip a beat or two, and he must have noticed in my expression, because he looked worried. "Als, are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah," I stammered out eventually, still trying to process all of this. Austin loves me. Do I love him? I tried so hard to get myself not to, but I have this strange feeling that it didn't work.

"So, how do you feel about me?" Austin asked cautiously, biting his lip. I could tell that he was nervous, but I was too, and I really need a bit of time to sort out all of my thoughts and emotions on this.

"I'm really sorry," I whispered, wiping at a tear sliding down my cheek. "I need to think about this for a little bit, because I'm feeling so many things right now. I'm sorry, I just need time to think."

I hopped off the swing and ran inside, up the stairs to my room. Before I did though, I heard Austin whisper, "It's okay, take your time. I'll always be here."

It broke my heart to hear him sound so upset, but I just don't understand what's going on right now. I flopped onto my bed, unsure of what I was thinking. I was feeling too many emotions at once - confusion, happiness, guilt for the disappointed look on Austin, and possibly - _love_?

"Trish, Molly," I called out, running into Molly's room. "I really need to talk to you guys." I did my best to bite back the tears that were forming, and they immediately stopped their discussion on clothes, turning towards me.

"Are you okay, Ally?" Molly asked, her eyebrows furrowing together. Trish stood up and put a comforting hand on my shoulder - although Trish can come off a bit edgy, she is a very motherly person.

"I don't know," I said, taking a seat on Molly's bed. "I just have so many emotions rushing through me right now, and I don't know how to sort them out. I don't know what I'm thinking."

"What happened?" Trish asked.

"Is it Austin?" Molly asked. I could only nod my head. She stood up, rage in her eyes. "I swear, if he hurt you, he's the biggest idiot in the world. I'm going to punch his face in-"

"Molly, no," I exclaimed, standing up. "It wasn't anything like that. He didn't hurt me, he just... made me confused. You don't need to punch him." She visibly relaxed and we both sat back down. "I'm surprised you would punch your own brother for me."

"Ally, you're practically my sister," Molly laughed. "I don't want any guy to hurt you, especially not Austin. You guys have something special, and if he ruined that, I would be pretty pissed at him."

I laughed lightly, glad that I was talking to them. "So, what exactly happened?" Trish asked again.

"Hetoldmehelvdme," I spoke quickly. Molly furrowed her eyebrows together, and asked me to repeat myself. "He told me that... he loves me." Trish and Molly both let out excited squeals.

"Ally, I'm so happy for you," Trish exclaimed, giving me a tight hug. I returned the hug and smiled in response, repeating the actions again for Molly.

"Do you love him back?" Molly asked. "Did you tell him? What did you say? What happened?"

"Molly, chill," I laughed, shaking my head. She could get excited so easily. "I told him I needed some time to think. I don't really know what I feel - I know that I _really_ like him. But, I also promised myself that I wasn't going to fall in love. I think I _might_ be-"

"Then don't fight it," Molly said, giving me a small smile. "You can't push away true love - and trust me, you two are destined to be together." I thanked them and left the room, still wanting to think about this a little bit. I think that I really might be in love with Austin - no matter how hard I tried not to be. Molly is right, you can't fight off love.

I walked downstairs, looking for my father - I wanted to see what he thought of all this, plus he has taken on my maternal role as well. Then, I realized that I don't really want to talk to my father about love - that would be so awkward. I noticed Mimi standing at the kitchen sink, doing dishes, and mentally debated whether or not I should ask her.

Suddenly, she spoke up, "Ally, dear, I know you want to talk about something, so just come sit down." I looked up at her in shock, since she hadn't even turned around. Now, she sat at the table and smiled, gesturing for me to take a seat. "Sweetie, didn't you know mothers have eyes in the back of their heads?"

I laughed, since my own mother had told me that many times before, when I was younger. After taking a seat, she asked me what was up. "I guess I just need a '_mom_' to talk to," I sighed, resting my chin in my hands.

"Well, I'm right here," Mimi said, smiling. "You're practically one of my own anyway. What's on your mind?"

"It's Austin," I said carefully, not wanting to upset her. This was her own son I was talking about, after all. She motioned for me to continue. "Okay, so he told me that he was in love with me - I don't think he meant to say it, but it slipped out. And now, he wants to know how I feel."

"Well, we all knew he was in love with you," Mimi laughed, smiling as she got lost in her own thoughts. "He has been since you two were kids - we all knew you would be an item at some point." Seeing my worried expression, she shook her head, coming back to the conversation. "Sorry, go on."

"Well," I said, biting my lip. "I think I might be in love with him too - no, actually, I'm _sure_ of it. But the thing is, we didn't want to get too serious over this summer - it would hurt too much when I have to go home. So now, I'm thinking that if I tell him I love him, then this relationship will get more serious, and it will only make it that much harder to leave him."

"Ally," she said, placing a hand on my arm. "At this point, leaving is going to be hard no matter what - even if you and Austin weren't together, it would be hard, because you have been having a wonderful time. I've watched you, Ally, and you have made so many memories already, and the summer is just half over. It's going to be hard, so now, you have to decide what's real."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"I mean that you need to decide if you really love Austin," she said, smiling at the thought of her son in love. "And if you do, then you need to tell him. You guys have something special, and if it's really love, then you'll get through this. If it's love, then it's going to last after you go back to Miami, and it will last through all the times we visit each other. And if anything, being apart will only make you two grow closer. So, do you really love Austin?"

I took in everything she said, shoving away any thoughts from my head, and focusing only on what my heart was saying. "I really do," I finally said, sighing happily.

"Then, I think you need to go tell him," Mimi said, nodding her head towards the stairs with a wink. I thanked her and gave her a big hug, since she really was like a mother to me. Then, without a second thought, I ran upstairs to Austin's room, running in through the open door.

"Ally," Austin said, a smile gracing his face. He looks sad, as though he has been upset for a little bit, but his smile reached his eyes when we looked at each other, and I know that an equally large grin is spreading across my face.

He stood up, and I rushed over. "Austin," I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. This was probably our most passionate kiss yet, filled with love and want. After a few minutes, we pulled away, lightly gasping for air, but with smiles on our faces. "I love you."

He grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he asked, looping his arms around my waist.

"Absolutely, totally, one-hundred percent," I nodded, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. "I had some thoughts and feelings to sort out, but it's clear to me now, that I love you."

"Thank you," Austin whispered upwards, chuckling lightly. "I love you too, Ally. I have for a while."

I beamed in return. "Here, let's go write a song with all these feelings," I laughed, taking his hand and pulling him to the music room. With all the emotions swirling around us, we came up with an awesome song nearly instantly, the lyrics just flowing out of us.

_1-2-1-2-3-4 _  
_Give me more loving than I've ever had _  
_Make me feel better when I'm feeling sad _  
_Tell me I'm special even though I know I'm not_

_Make me feel good when I hurt so bad _  
_Barely getting mad I'm so glad I found you _  
_I love being around you_

_You make it easy _  
_Its as easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4 _  
_There's only one thing _  
_To Do _  
_Three words _  
_For you _  
_(I love you) I love you_

_There's only one way to say _  
_Those three words _  
_That's what I'll do _  
_(I love you) I love you_

_Give me more loving from the very start _  
_Piece me back together when I fall apart _  
_Tell me things you never even tell your closest friends_

_Make me feel good when I hurt so bad _  
_You're the best that I've had _  
_And I'm so glad I found you _  
_I love being around you_

_You make it easy _  
_It's easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4 _  
_There's only one thing _  
_To Do _  
_Three words _  
_For you _  
_(I love you) I love you_

_There's only one way to say _  
_Those three words _  
_That's what I'll do _  
_(I love you) I love you _  
_(I love you) I love you_

_You make it easy _  
_It's easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4 _  
_There's only one thing _  
_To Do _  
_Three words _  
_For you _  
_(I love you) I love you_

_There's only one way to say _  
_Those three words _  
_That's what I'll do _  
_(I love you) I love you _  
_(I love you) I love you_

_1-2-3-4 I love you _  
_(I love you) I love you **(1)**_

It was an acoustic duet, and it was not only catchy, but also captured our feelings right now perfectly. "So," Austin finally said, and I knew what was coming. "At the end of the summer-"

"I have to leave," I finished, sighing deeply. "I have to go back to Miami. But, Dad already said that we would come up, or you guys would come down every holiday. And that I could spend every summer up here."

"But it's not the same as seeing each other every day," Austin said, sighing sadly.

I nodded my head. "I know," I said, sadness lacing my voice. "But at the same time, I agree with your mom - being apart will just bring us closer. It will teach us to treasure our times together even more. And then, if we're still in love after we finish school, we can move closer together."

"There's no _if_ about it," Austin chuckled, wrapping his arms around me and kissing me gently. "Because I'm always going to be in love with you, Ally Dawson. I always have been, and I always will be."

**1) 1234 by the Plain White T's!**

**(A/N - I'm not sure how many chapters this is going to end up being. My guess is twenty, give or take a few!**

**Okay, so on both this story and "All These Cinderella Stories", I took a week to update! Why? Well, I don't really have any good reason. ): I just don't have the motivation to write anymore. I think that once I finish all my current stories, I'm going to stop writing fanfiction, or at least take a break from it. I'll still read them, but I just don't feel like writing anymore. I don't know, this feeling might change after a while - like, if I get motivation from new episodes of Austin&Ally, but I just wanted to let you guys know that after I finish my current three stories, don't expect anything new for a while! And that if I take a long time to update, it's because I'm lacking motivation, sorry. ): Anyways, thanks for reading, and review!)**


	14. Chapter 14

Just an author's note...

Hey minions! - well, readers... I don't really want to refer to you guys as minions anymore, because I'm not all that into writing... At least not at the moment.

So, as I'm sure you guys have realized, I have been taking much longer to update recently - I used to post daily, and I am now to the point where a whole week goes by between updates! I feel really bad about it, but I have just been lacking any motivation/inspiration whatsoever...

I'm not really sure what happened. One day, I was like, _"Yeah, I love writing these! Gotta keep writing all day!"._ Then, the next, I was like, _"I really don't want to do this anymore._" It's not that I am feeling not good enough as a writer, or that you haven't been reviewing enough - TRUST ME, that's not it. You guys are awesome! :D

I was talking to one of my friends about it, and she said that it might be like, overexposure - that I was writing so much, and always on fanfiction, that I just got tired of it. I think she might be right!

So, here's the thing. In a few days, I will be leaving for a week or so on a mission trip, and won't have any access to a computer, so I won't be able to write/post/update. I'm hoping that with that week off, I will miss writing, and come back ready to update again! I want to finish my stories, and I really want to write more, too! But, I just can't write anything at the moment, because I have been too much lately.

So, basically what I am saying is that for the next week or so, you won't be seeing me on here at all - but don't look at it as a bad thing! Hopefully, being away from writing for a while will mean coming back with tons of motivation! And even if I do come back not wanting to write, I promise that I will at least finish the stories that I have started! Because, you guys are awesome readers, and deserve that much. (:

Basically, just be patient with me the next few weeks, please! I will update these eventually! In the meantime, if you don't already write fanfiction yourself, GO WRITE STUFF! I want to come back and see some awesome, new stories up, and maybe that will bring up some inspiration for me as well!

Thanks! (:

-heyitsme517


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello, Minions! Have you missed me? Well, good news... I'M BAAAAAAAACK! :D and I have motivation! So, be expecting tons of updates!**

It's been about two weeks since Austin and I told each other that we loved each other - and I don't regret it. Our "friends with benefits" type of relationship has transformed into a close, serious, yet fun relationship, and we are now _together_ together.

If I was happy before, I'm ecstatic now. Austin and I go on dates all the time, and he proves to be even more of a gentleman every day - and the best part is, I know he will always be mine. Every time that he tells me we will last through the distance after this summer is over, I grow more and more confident of that fact, because truly - we're meant for each other. Looks like our parents really did call it when we were younger.

The teasing from his family, friends, and Trish has eased up quite a bit, thankfully. The taunting has been kept to a minimum, and everyone just seems to be happier. I smile to myself as I climb out of bed that morning, tossing a pillow at the snoring Trish on the floor. "Wake up," I called out, laughing.

"No," she groaned, rolling over and pulling the covers farther above her head.

"Don't make me get the water bucket," I warned, headed for the bedroom door. I know a threat like that would get Trish awake.

"You don't have the guts to do that, Ally," Trish moaned from her mattress. "You know how angry I can get - now, think about it, do you _really_ want to do that?"

"Trish," I said, sighing in exasperation. Then, an idea came to me. "Dez is coming over in an hour. Don't you want to get ready before he gets here?"

"Dez?" Trish asked, snapping up quickly into a sitting position. She got off her bed and ran over to the closet to pick an outfit. Oh yeah, did I mention that Trish and Dez have been all flirty lately? Well, they have been - it's cute, but kind of weird. "Wait, are you lying just to make me wake up?"

"No, she's telling the truth," I heard a voice call from outside the bedroom door. "But he's actually going to be here in like, thirty minutes, so-"

I yanked the door open to see Austin standing there, smiling sheepishly. "You really need to stop standing outside my door and listening to our conversations," I warned, but giggled anyway. I don't actually mind all that much.

"But, I like to hear what you say about me in your sleep," he teased back, referring to how Gracie has spilled that I talk in my sleep at the beginning of the summer. "Something about Austin being the sweetest boyfriend ever?"

"My mouth doesn't know what it's saying when I'm asleep," I said, rolling my eyes and shoving him playfully. When he pretended to pout, I rolled my eyes again, this time good-naturedly, and gave him a quick kiss. "Now, go. Trish and I need to get dressed, so Trish can impress Dez."

"No need to impress him," Austin called into the room, towards Trish. "He already likes you." Trish's eyes lit up, and she came running towards the door.

"Really?" she asked excitedly. Austin nodded, smiling. Trish beamed, before she realized what she was doing, then tried to put on an act. "Oh, pft, what do I care? He's a weird guy, anyway. I don't like him or anything." She and Dez have a weird friendship - they verbally abuse one another, and act like they hate each other, but we can all see through it.

"_Right_," Austin and I said in unison, sarcastically. "Anyway, you better get ready, since he is now going to be here in twenty-five minutes." Trish's eyes widened and she ran back to the closet, throwing clothes everywhere. "See you in a little bit," Austin said, winking at me.

I nodded and shut the door, while Trish and I changed into our outfits for the day. "Do you think Dez really likes me?" Trish asked, as I helped her put on a small amount of makeup. "I mean, not that I care or anything, but-"

"Save it, Trish," I said, laughing. "I know that you like him, and I'm pretty sure he likes you, too. Maybe today, instead of smacking him in the head, you could try flirting?"

"I don't know, I think the violence is what makes us work," Trish said, biting her lip.

I thought about it, then realized she was right. "That's true," I agreed, nodding my head. "Just go with it, then. But, let him know that you're interested, too."

"Since when did you become the love expert?" she teased, wiggling her eyebrows. "Oh, right - since you fell in _love_."

"Shut up, Trish," I said, rolling my eyes good-naturedly. Suddenly, we heard the doorbell ring from downstairs, and Trish let out a nervous squeal, hurriedly fixing her hair in the mirror. "Yeah, you _so_ don't like Dez," I said sarcastically, shaking my head.

She shot me a playful glare, and after reassuring her that she looked fine, we headed downstairs. "Hey, guys," Austin called out from the couch, where he and Dez were already engrossed in a video game.

"Hey," Trish called out, smiling. At the sound of her voice, I noticed Dez's head snap up, sneaking a shy glance over at her. He tried to brush it off, and just waved at her, but I shot him a look saying that I saw through his shy smile. He blushed and made a '_shh_' gesture, and I nodded, letting him know my lips were sealed.

"So, do you guys want to do something other than play video games all day?" I teased, standing in front of the television. Both boys groaned, making me roll my eyes yet again - I really need to stop doing that.

"You mean _besides_ hanging out with a beautiful girl?" Austin said, standing up and attempting to kiss me. I dodged his lips playfully, shaking my head.

"You're only saying that to get a kiss," I smirked. He gave me puppy dog eyes and I eventually leaned in, acting like I was going to give him a kiss - but instead planted my lips on his cheek.

"You're a tease, you know that?" Austin mumbled, smiling ever so slightly. "You know, I could start babbling again, and make you shut me up-" At this, I gave in and planted a sweet kiss on his lips.

"All better?" I asked, pulling away. He nodded, a goofy grin crossing his face. "Good. Now, be quiet."

"Hey, lovebirds," Trish called out. "We're still in the room, you know." I glanced up to see her gesturing at herself and Dez, who, I couldn't help but notice were now standing extremely close together.

"Right," I said, clearing my throat a bit and allowing Austin to wrap an arm around my shoulders, while my own arm found its way snaked around his waist. "So, what do you guys want to do today?"

"I was thinking the carnival," Dez shrugged. "It's a nice day, and I think there is a discount today, and-"

"-_And_, you're just a giant kid inside a teenager's body, right?" Trish teased, laughing lightly. "That's the _real_ reason you want to go."

"So, what?" Dez laughed, crossing his arms defensively. "So is Austin." Austin nodded his head, a giant grin plastered across his face at the idea of a carnival - like a little boy in a candy shop. I couldn't help but giggle at his childishness - it was one of the things I love about him. "So, Ally likes childish, fun-loving guys."

"And who says that I don't?" Trish asked, raising a flirty eyebrow. At this, they just stood there, smiling at each other. Even though Dez is a bit odd and thick-skulled, I think even he understood the hidden meaning in that sentence.

"So... carnival?" Austin finally asked, breaking the awkward silence. We all nodded, dashing outside to his truck and piling in. The rest of the day was spent in a fun, cliche way. We had a great time at the carnival, riding all the rides, playing games, and watching clowns and other odd people do random tricks. Austin and I laughed to ourselves as Trish and Dez shouted insults towards each other - it was just the way they are - and it's so obvious they like each other.

Austin even won me a giant stuffed goose - it reminds me of a bird down near the Miami Mall pond, which helps me when I need inspiration for my song. That goose's name is Pickles, so I decided to call this one Pancakes - Austin's favorite food.

After dropping Dez off, who seemed slightly upset for his day with Trish to end, we went back to Austin's house. Trish went upstairs to take a nap, while Austin and I sat down on the swing on the front porch. "Today was great," I said, tucking my legs up beside me and leaning into Austin's side.

He wrapped an arm around me and buried his face in my hair, while slowly rocking the swing. "It sure was," he mumbled, and I could feel him smiling. "Dez and Trish are really hitting it off."

"Yeah, _hitting_," I joked, laughing my head off. "Get it? Because Trish hits him all the time." While I was still cracking up, Austin shot me an amused smile. "That was really lame and corny, wasn't it?"

"A little bit," he chuckled, poking me in the side. "But, I love your sense of humor. It's dorky, but adorable, just like you."

I flicked his ear. "That's for calling me dorky," I said, pretending to be annoyed. Then, I kissed his cheek. "And, that's for calling me adorable."

After that, I leaned in and gave him a gently kiss on the lips. "And what was that one for?" he asked, a smile slowly brightening his face.

"That one," I said, leaning my head against his chest. "Was just for being you." This made his grin turn even wider, and we watched the sunset together.

Just after it dipped behind the horizon, we heard the slow, steady rumble of a truck. Looking up, we noticed the large U-Haul pull into the driveway of the newly finished house across the road. Austin's new neighbors are here.

**(A/N - well, how was that? Not my best, I know, but it might take me a while to get back into the swing of writing! Have no fear, though, because I have plenty of ideas! Anyway, leave me a review, since you know that I appreciate them! I hope you guys are glad I'm back! :D If not, though, tell me, or just don't read my stories... but, yeah... review. (: **


	16. Chapter 16

**(A/N - hellllllllllo! (: Over 300 reviews on this story? You guys are the bomb-diggity! Okay, so on with the story...)**

I glanced over at Austin, who's face hardened a bit. "Austin, are you okay?" I asked, concerned. His eyes darted from my face to the house across the street as he sighed. "Aren't you excited about the new neighbors?"

"I guess," he sighed. "I'm just not used to the idea of having people live so close to our house, I guess."

I studied his face for a few minutes, which was twitching a bit. I knew him well enough to know that he wasn't being truthful. "Austin, there's more to it than that," I said, reaching out and intertwining our fingers. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, it's kind of stupid," he shrugged, running his fingers through his hair with his free hand. I reached over and made him look me in the eyes.

"Austin, you know I'm not going to judge you, right?" I asked. He nodded. "Okay, so then you can tell me anything. I'm not going to think it's stupid, or laugh, or anything like that. Just tell me what's wrong."

"Okay," he sighed, glancing back over at the house. "This probably sounds really silly, but I kind of had this idea that maybe it would be you guys moving in across the street. You know, you and your father? I know that it sounds weird, but my parents and your father were working so hard to make sure that you like it here, and all of a sudden your dad went home for a week, and I thought maybe-"

"-You thought maybe he was packing up everything, and that we were planning on moving up here," I finished for him. He nodded his head, and I leaned into his side. "To be honest, I kind of thought that was what was going on too. And I wouldn't have minded it at all. The night before my father left, he acted all serious, wondering if I like it here, and I thought maybe he wanted to make sure I was comfortable, so that we could move here. I thought that the house across the street was being built for us, and I thought that he went home to Miami to pack everything up. I thought that he brought Trish here because he knew I would be upset to move away from my best friend, and that he wanted us to spend the rest of the summer together."

"That's exactly what was going through my head," Austin said.

"I thought that maybe - just maybe," I kept going. "We weren't going to have to leave each other. That I could spend every day still seeing you, and that we could live like a normal couple, and not a long distance one."

At this, Austin cupped my chin and pulled me in for a deep kiss. When we finally pulled apart, our eyes locked, and neither of us wanted to look away. "Ally, we will make this last," Austin said, giving my hand a tight squeeze. "Our love is going to stay just as strong as it is now, because it lasted over six years of not seeing each other. Even if we weren't a couple then, and even if we were young, I loved you, Alls. And if that can last years, I'm pretty sure it can last months between visits."

"You're completely right," I breathed out - and he was. This was going to work, whether we were only a house away, or even states away. "Plus, there's still some summer left."

"That's true," Austin said, his face lighting up. "Speaking of which, there's a festival the town holds at the end of every summer - and I was kind of, wondering if maybe you wanted to go with me?"

"I think we could work something out," I joked, nudging him with my elbow. "Of course I'll go with you - you're my boyfriend, after all. So, what goes on at these festivals?"

"Oh, all kinds of things," he exclaimed excitedly. "They have food, dancing, karaoke, games, rides, and at the end of the night, fireworks. It's so cool, and it's a great way to end the summer."

"Sounds perfect," I giggled, leaning up to kiss him.

Our lips were moving perfectly in synch, when the front door opened. "Hey kids, I made a pie, and-" Mimi said, stopping when she saw us. "Oh, uh, sorry."

She giggled like a little girl, watching Austin and I until he shot her a playful glare. "Ma, how come you always walk out when we're kissing?" he teased. "Do you watch us or something?"

"No, I guess I just have good timing," she shrugged. "Or maybe you guys just kiss too much - not that I'm saying to stop. I can't believe my baby boy is all grown up." At this, Austin rolled his eyes, which made me laugh. "Anyway, I was saying that I made two pies - one for us, and one for the new neighbors. I was thinking you kids could come have a slice and then take the other across the road and say hello."

Austin turned a bit rigid at the mention of new neighbors, but I nodded my head. "We'd love to, Mimi," I assured her, gently tugging on Austin's hand and pulling him inside. After devouring our own slices of pie with side scoops of ice cream, Mimi handed us the second one, unsliced and wrapped in foil.

Austin and I took the pie and a bouqet of flowers from Mimi's garden, before heading across the street. "Okay, I know you're not super excited to meet them," I said to Austin. "And that you have no idea what to expect - it could be an old couple, or it could be a family with seven kids, or it could be a lonely old cat lady, or-"

"Ally-Gator, you're rambling again," Austin said, nudging me gently.

"Whoops," I said, blushing and getting back to my point. "Anway, like I was saying, even though you don't really want to know them, could you please show them the sweet, caring Austin that I know and love?"

"I promise to be civil," Austin said, and I knew he meant it. "Who knows, they could have a son my age that can hang out with Dez and I." I nodded, glad he was seeing the positive side to this.

We finally made it across the street, walking briskly up to the front door. I took a deep breath and knocked lightly on the new wooden door, since Austin had the pie in his hands. A boy about our age opened the door. "Hi there," he said, glancing at both of us and smiling.

"Hi," I chirped. "We're from across the street, and we brought a welcome pie and flowers."

An excited voice called out from behind the boy. "Oh, Trevor, bring them inside," the voice said. He stepped aside and ushered us both inside, where we saw a woman with red hair smiling at us. "Hi, I'm Debby Moore." She gestured to the man beside her and then the boy. "This is my husband, Thomas, and that's our son, Trevor."

"It's nice to meet you," Austin said, surprising me with his politeness - not that he is usually impolite, but I knew he really didn't want new neighbors. "I'm Austin Moon, and this is my girlfriend and best friend, Ally Dawson." At this, I noticed Trevor's face fall just slightly, but he quickly got over it, and I was glad. I didn't mind if he was a bit interested in me, but I didn't want to get in the way of a possible new friendship for Austin. "Anyway, I live across the street, with my parents, and two sisters, who would love to meet you soon. Ally's father is my father's best friend, and they have been staying with us all summer."

"How lovely," Mrs. Moore said, clapping her hands together. "You two make an adorable couple." Then, she studied Austin for a second. "Well, aren't you a handsome young man - be careful, or our daughter might be falling head over heels for you in seconds. In fact, let me call her down - Bailey, come down here, will you?"

I felt my breath shorten at this - had she not just said that Austin and I make a cute couple? And now, she is inviting her daughter down here to drool over my boyfriend? Bailey is probably a gorgeous girl, who will be all over Austin in seconds. What if when I go back to Miami, Austin doesn't think he can keep up with the long distance relationship, and goes after his new, beautiful neighbor instead? My fists clenched at the thought as I tried to relax my muscles.

"Alls, you're breaking my hand," Austin whispered, trying to rub my hand soothingly. I glanced down at my tight grip on his hand, which up until now, I forgot I was holding. I immediately loosened my grip a bit, and Austin sent me a reassuring smile, probably knowing my reasons for getting tense suddenly.

But, can you blame me? Austin is a good looking guy, and I don't need girls swooning over him- "Hi, there," a small voice called out. We glanced up to see a girl with bright red, bouncy curls glancing up at us. She couldn't be older than eight, about Gracie's age. "I'm Bailey." She smiled at Austin. "You're really cute." Then, she turned to me. "And you're really pretty."

When I realized who Bailey was, I mentally face-palmed, trying my best not to burst into laughter at my paranoia. I had absolutely nothing to worry about, besides a small girl who could possibly develop a crush on Austin - and honestly, what's the harm in that?

After a little more conversation, and a few slices of pie, Austin and I decided to head back to his house. "It was great to meet you all," we said, as we waved, before crossing the road.

"I can't believe you were jealous of an eight year-old," Austin whispered, teasing me. "Think you got some competition, huh?" I nudged him in the ribs and rolled my eyes.

"Shut up," I laughed. "Plus, I saw the way you looked at that Trevor guy when he smiled at me. You were jealous too."

"But I had reason to be," Austin said, twirling a piece of my hair. "He's not half our age, and you happen to be extremely beautiful. I'm not much of a looker, but it's a bit hard having a girl as gorgeous as you, since all the other guys stare."

"Stop it, you're making me blush," I laughed, and he told me that was the point. This only made me blush some more. "Anyway, I happen to find you extremely attractive - just don't let it inflate your ego, alright?" He rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Besides, even if Trevor was interested in me, I have everything I need right here." When I said that, I poked him in the stomach, indicating he was the one I want.

"Good," he laughed, wrapping his arms around me. "Because, you're absolutely the only girl for me. I don't want you to worry when you go to Miami - I'm not going to be interested in any other girl. I only have eyes for you, Ally."

"I know," I said, leaning up on my tip-toes to place a sweet, gentle kiss against his lips.

**(A/N - OKAY please don't hate me. ): I know that most of you wanted Ally and her dad to move in across the street, and trust me, that's how I originally wrote it! But I thought about it, and that just seemed way to predictable, and I wanted to shake it up a bit. (: Plus, I want to show that Austin and Ally's love truly can survive the distance, which will be put to test in future chapters! So, I hope you all aren't mad at me for putting someone else in the new house! Please review, letting me know what you think! Oh, and if you haven't yet, check out my other stories: **Boy Next Door** and **Spoiled**. Thanks!)**


	17. Chapter 17

**(A/N - HI. :D I really really REALLY want to apologize for not updating in what... three months?! I'm so sorry! I started out really busy, but it soon developed into a huge writers block - to the point where I didn't think I was going to continue. But, I couldn't leave you guys hanging! So, here's the next chapter. Sorry if it's not very good, since I have been away from this story for so long. I hope you enjoy!)**

"Ally, hold still," Trish ordered, bobby pins held between her lips as she fiddled with my hair. The upper half was braided back with a bow, while the bottom hung in loose curls cascading just past my shoulders. Trish slid the last pin into place on my head, and stepped back, admiring her work. "Done."

I spun around, facing the mirror, and gasped. "Trish," I whispered, a grin appearing on my face. She definitely worked some magic, because I barely recognized the person I saw reflected in the glass before me.

"You look beautiful," Molly exclaimed while rifling through her closet, and Trish nodded. She winked, and added, "I bet Austin will think so too."

I giggled and rolled my eyes, able to easily brush off their teasing about Austin now. "Thanks guys," I smiled, brushing a stray strand of hair from my eyes. I turned to look at them and grinned. "You both look stunning."

Trish was wearing a purple top that hung off her shoulder, and a black skirt ending above her knee. Her hair was pulled back into a tight, fashionable ponytail, and she had pumps on her feet, which would do little to close the huge height gap between she and Dez - who had asked her to the festival.

Molly was wearing a mid-thigh, denim skirt, knee-high black boots with a large heel, and a flowy black top with a plunging neckline. Her hair was down, straightened, with a small diamond clip holding back her bangs.

And I was wearing that red and yellow plaid dress that we bought right after Trish's arrival. I glanced in Molly's full length mirror, admiring the dress and twirling a bit. I really did love the dress - my old style was definitely evident, but the southern feel that I have picked up while staying here shown through as well.

The dress was strapless, with a v-neck that plunged to show off just enough cleavage, but not too much. The middle was tight, but flowed out towards the bottom, ending just above mid-thigh. It was definitely more skin than I ever would have shown, but Molly guaranteed that's how everyone would be dressed. I had light beige ankle boots on my feet, and a few sparkly bangles on both wrists.

"Alright, ladies," Molly announced, pulling us all over to the mirror. "We're ready, we look great, and our boys are waiting downstairs for us. Ready to have a great time?" Trish and I both nodded. "Okay, let's go." We exited her bedroom, and Molly led the way downstairs, followed by Trish, then me.

We all entered the living room, where the boys were, and simultaneously, their eyes widened and jaws dropped. Grant was gazing at Molly lovingly, and Dez was moving his mouth to say something, but no sounds were coming out. And Austin? Well, the way he was staring at me made me feel like I was the most important thing in the world. His eyes were wide, but instead of trailing my body, they were focused on my face. His mouth was hanging open ever so slightly, and was slowly curving into that goofy grin that I love.

"What do you think?" I asked quietly, stepping closer to him. Instinctively, my hands went to his shoulders, and I felt him place his gently on my waist.

"I think," he whispered, leaning in so his lips were just brushing my ear. "That I am the luckiest guy in the world - because I have the most amazing girl in the world." I grinned, pecking his lips once lightly before pulling away so that Mimi could take pictures.

We got a few group shots, and then she started taking some of each couple. "Ally, that dress is so beautiful," Mimi said, as she motioned for me and Austin to step in front of the fire place for some pictures. "You look stunning."

The first shot we took was of us smiling, with Austin's arm wrapped around my shoulder, and his at my waist. Then we took a few goofy shots. And when I had no clue how else to pose, Austin shocked me by grabbing my waist, pulling me closer to him, and kissing me. I heard the click of the camera, followed by an 'Aw,' from Mimi, as she glanced at picture she just captured.

"I think that's going to make a nice addition to the board in my room, don't you?" Austin asked after pulling away, raising an eyebrow teasingly. I giggled and nodded my head.

"As adorable as you two are," Molly chuckled, pointing towards the door. "The festival starts in ten minutes. We need to get going." After saying goodbye to our parents, we all headed out to Grant's van, the only vehicle big enough to take all six of us. The festival was about twenty minutes away, towards the center of town.

When we got there, it was already in full swing, couples out on the dance floor, ranging from small children to grandparents. Tables of food lined the pavilion, a buffet-style that some people had already helped themselves to. A few games were set up, almost like a carnival atmosphere. "This is so cool," I shouted to Austin, trying to be heard over the music.

"We just walked in," he laughed, shaking his head. "Trust me, it gets better." I nodded and he took my hand, intertwining our fingers, and swinging our arms back and forth. We went and played some of the games - Austin even won me a giant teddy bear. We ate some of the food, and joined in with the line dancing.

"Alright, everyone," the DJ said into a microphone, grabbing everyone's attention. "There's ten minutes left, and you know what that means - two more songs. The last one will be a slow song, but before that, our very own Austin Moon has volunteered to sing, so show him some love." I looked over to Austin, who winked and let go of my hand to walk onto the stage.

"Hey guys, how are you doing tonight?" Austin asked after taking the microphone. "Thanks for letting me sing this year - music has become a huge part of my life recently. I've never been much of a songwriter, but I've recently found some inspiration - and this song goes out to her. Ally, this one is for you." I grinned as he began playing a guitar, trying to ignore all the eyes on me.

_I can feel you comin' from a mile away_  
_My pulse starts racing from the words that you say _  
_And you say so many of them like you don't have a clue _  
_That I'm signed, sealed, delivered with a stamp on_

_You don't have to try too hard _  
_You already have my heart _  
_You don't got a thing to prove _  
_I'm already into you _  
_So_

_Hold, hold, hold, hold me tight now _  
_Cause I'm so, so good to go _  
_Don't say, don't say good night you know _  
_You had me at hello _  
_You had me at hello _  
_You had me at hello _  
_Don't say, don't say good night you know _  
_You had me at hello_

_Close your mouth now baby don't say a word _  
_Cause you ain't saying nothing I ain't already heard _  
_Plus all them words get buried when the beats so loud _  
_And the speakers blowin' up to this dance song_

_You don't have to try too hard _  
_You already have my heart _  
_You don't got a thing to prove _  
_I'm already into you _  
_So_

_Hold, hold, hold, hold me tight now _  
_Cause I'm so, so good to go _  
_Don't say, don't say good night you know _  
_You had me at hello _  
_You had me at hello _  
_You had me at hello _  
_Don't say, don't say good night you know _  
_You had me at hello_

_Oooooh Ooooh ooh ooh _  
_Oooooh Ooooh ooh ooh _  
_Oooooh Ooooh ooh ooh _  
_Oooooh Ooooh ooh ooh _  
_Oooooh Ooooh ooh ooh_

_So _  
_Hold, hold, hold, hold me tight now _  
_I'm so, so good to go _  
_Don't say, don't say good night you know _  
_You had me at hello _  
_You had me at hello _  
_You had me at hello _  
_Don't say, don't say good night you know _  
_You had me at hello _**(1)**

Everyone under the pavilion cheered, while I just stood there, grinning at Austin. He took a bow, then met my eyes and mouthed, 'I love you,'. "Wow," the DJ shouted, giving a low whistle. "Who knew he could sing like that? Thanks again, Austin. Now, it's time for the last song, so grab that special someone while the night's still going."

Everyone rushed for someone to dance with, while a slow song came out over the speakers. Austin hopped off the stage and made his way towards me, his gaze never leaving mine. My arms went around his neck as soon as he reached me, and he wrapped his around my waist, leaning his forehead against mine.

"So, what did you think?" he asked, his eyes searching mine.

"It was amazing," I said honestly, grinning up at him. "_You're_ amazing."

"Well, you're my inspiration," he whispered, kissing my forehead lightly. "And I'll never be as amazing as you." No matter how cheesy that moment was, I knew I'd never forget it as we swayed along to the music in the sea of people.

* * *

An hour later, we were home, and I had changed into a pair of sweatpants and hoodie, ready to fall asleep. Trish was already on the floor, snoring. I heard my bedroom door creak open, and glanced up to see Austin peeking in, smiling when he saw that I was awake. He motioned for me to come out into the hallway, and I nodded.

After closing the door behind me, I raised my eyebrows at him. "What, you couldn't wait a few hours to see me again?" I teased.

"Any moment I'm not with you drives me crazy," he whispered, pulling me closer to him. "But I actually wanted to see if you were awake, so that I could take you somewhere."

"Austin, it's one in the morning," I said quietly, cocking my head to the side. "Where could you possibly be taking me?"

"You'll see," he grinned, taking my hand and leading me down the stairs and out the back door. We walked a couple hundred yards from the house, and I saw a large grassy area with blankets and pillows set up.

I smiled up at Austin, and he gave my hand a squeeze. "I thought," he whispered, leaning down towards my ear. "That we could camp out under the stars tonight."

I nodded and he quickly formed the blankets into a makeshift bed, which we layed down on. Pulling me close to him, he kissed me slowly, but it soon led to a heated makeout session, me on top of him, with us both breathing heavily. I decided to finally bring up something that had been nagging at me recently.

"Austin," I said slowly, not breaking eye contact. "I know that a lot of couples that have long distance relationships feel like they need to do something special - something to solidify their love, before they have to leave each other-"

"-Als," Austin cut me off gently, shaking his head.

But I continued, "A lot of couples think they need to have sex to prove that they love each other. And although I don't feel that way, I want you to know that if that's what you need, to know this is real - I'll do it. I'm leaving in a week, Austin, and if that's what you want-"

He cut me off again, but this time with a gentle kiss. "Ally, _this_," he whispered, gesturing towards him and I, "Is all that I need. I know this is real, and I've known it for a long time. We don't need to have sex to prove that this is love, because we both know it is. And I'm willing to wait, because I have a strong feeling that we'll be together forever. I didn't bring you out here tonight to pressure you into having sex - I brought you out here so that we could be together. You know I love you, right?" I nodded, and he smiled. "And I'm still going to love you when you have to go home. I've loved you forever, and I always will."

"I love you too," I whispered, falling asleep in his arms, shortly after. And that was easily the best sleep I have ever had - knowing not only that I was safe with Austin, but also that our love was real and would hopefully last a lifetime.

**(A/N - Oh goodness, I'm just a cheesball, aren't I? So what did you guys think? It's almost over. ): I'm thinking one more chapter, and then an epilogue-type of chapter. Again, I AM SO SORRY for leaving you guys hanging so long. ): I was having a massive writer's block, and couldn't think of anything to write, so I didn't want to give you guys a terrible chapter. I hope you liked it! (: Also check out my newest multi-chapter fic, **On Thin Ice.** Thanks, and thank you to all of you who continued to review and ask about this story while I was on hiatus - it gave me inspiration to write knowing that you all cared about the fic so much. You guys ROCK.)**

**1) Had Me at Hello - Luke Benward and Olivia Holt **


End file.
